ALEXANDRIA, La. - United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that a Pineville man pleaded guilty Monday to possession of child pornography.
George Jeffus, 73, of Pineville, La., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell to one count of possession of child pornography. According to the guilty plea, Pineville police received a report concerning Jeffus possessing possible child pornography. His home was searched, and 136 images and five video files of child pornography were found on electronic storage devices.
Jeffus faces up to 20 years in prison, five years to life of supervised release, forfeiture of items that were seized during the investigation and a $250,000 fine. Additionally, he is required to register as a sex offender. A sentencing date of March 16, 2017 was set.
Homeland Security Investigations, the Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Pineville Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamilla A. Bynog is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a U.S. Department of Justice nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) also encourage the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at (866) 347-2423. Investigators are available at all hours to answer hotline calls. Tips or other information can also be submitted to ICE online by visiting their website at www.ice.gov/exec/forms/hsi-tips/tips.asp or through the Operation Predator smartphone application www.ice.gov/predator/smartphone-app. Tips may be submitted anonymously.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
