Acting United States Attorney Gregory G. Brooker announced the sentencing of JAMES LESTER PARAMORE, 45, for distribution of child pornography. PARAMORE pleaded guilty on February 9, 2017, to one count of distribution of child pornography. On July 27, 2017, United States District Judge Donovan W. Frank sentenced PARAMORE to 136 months in federal prison and 25 years of supervised release.
According to the defendant’s guilty plea and documents filed in court, in June 2016, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) received a cybertip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) in reference to a Flickr account containing child pornography. After further investigation, the BCA was able to determine that PARAMORE was the account holder of the reported Flickr account and a search warrant was executed on the defendant’s home in Lake Bronson, Minn.
According to the defendant’s guilty plea and documents filed in court, PARAMORE admitted to being the Flickr account holder and to possessing, viewing and uploading child pornography using a VPN encryption in an attempt to prevent law enforcement from detecting his illegal activities. As a result of the search warrant, law enforcement agents found in PARAMORE’S home and on his computer and cell phone hundreds of images and video files containing child pornography, extensive Facebook conversations about child pornography websites, and electronic bookmarks and handwritten logs of child pornography websites. PARAMORE also kept detailed notes on how to prevent law enforcement from detecting his child pornography activities through the use of VPN, proxy servers, and encryption tools.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identify and rescue victims. For more information about PSC, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/ For more information about internet safety education, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/resources.html and click on the tab “resources."
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and the Kittson County Sheriff’s Office.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Angela Munoz-Kaphing.
Defendant Information:
JAMES LESTER PARAMORE, 45
Lake Bronson, Minn.
Convicted:
* Distribution of Child Pornography, 1 count
Sentenced:
*
136 months in prison
*
25 years supervised release
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
