NORFOLK, Va. - A Virginia Beach man was sentenced today to eight years in prison for receiving images of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
According to court documents, Stuart Aaron Burgess, 43, was found distributing child pornography via the Internet using peer-to-peer file-sharing software. After law enforcement seized Burgess’ computer pursuant to a search warrant, a forensic analysis showed he had more than 11,000 images and videos of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Of those, a significant percentage depicted the abuse of infants and toddlers.
Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Michael K. Lamonea, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Norfolk, and James A. Cervera, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth M. Yusi prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, 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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources" for more information about Internet safety education.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:17-cr-153.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
