PANAMA CITY, FLORIDA - Michael Ray Alford, 50, of Youngstown, Florida, was sentenced yesterday to 180 months in prison after a jury convicted him on June 20, 2017, of receipt and possession of child pornography. Alford had been previously convicted in the Northern District of Florida of a child pornography offense in 2002. The sentence 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.
The case was 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 was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey M. Tharp.
U.S. Attorney Canova said: “Protecting our children from exploitation is a top priority of my office and the Department of Justice. Every day, our hardworking prosecutors and law enforcement professionals seek to protect our innocent victims, keep our communities safe, and bring child predators to justice."
“This case is an example of the great work that can be done when local and federal law enforcement agencies work together," said Tampa HSI Special Agent in Charge James C. Spero, “This child predator will be now be held accountable for his crimes."
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
