PANAMA CITY, FLORIDA - Michael Ray Alford, 50, of Youngstown, Florida, was convicted yesterday afternoon in the U.S. District Court in Panama City of receipt and possession of child pornography after a two-day trial. Alford had been previously convicted in the Northern District of Florida of a child pornography offense in 2002. The verdict was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
In 2014, a Montana retailer reported to law enforcement officers that someone had called their store and stated an intent to commit sexual acts on a minor. Through records, officers discovered the call was made from Alford’s Bay County residence. During a forensic review of computers discovered at the residence, officers located images and online search terms of child pornography. In addition, child pornography was discovered in Alford’s e-mail account.
For the receipt charge, Alford faces a minimum of 15 years and a maximum of 40 years in prison. For the possession charge, Alford faces a minimum of 10 years and a maximum of 20 years in prison. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for Aug. 31, 2017, at 11:00 a.m. at the United States Courthouse in Panama City.
The case is being investigated by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, the Hamilton (Montana) Police Department, and the North Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey M. Tharp.
The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
