MACON: United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, Charles E. Peeler, announces that Robert Murphy, age 25, of Macon, Georgia entered his guilty plea on May 11, 2018 to possession of child pornography in front of United States District Judge Marc T. Treadwell.
According to the plea agreement, on or about April 21, 2016, a federal law enforcement agent identified that a number of child pornography files available for sharing through an internet connection associated with Mr. Murphy’s residence. A federal search warrant was later executed by members of Homeland Security Investigations, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Jones County Sheriff’s Office. Mr. Murphy was found at the residence and admitted to searching for and downloading child pornography using peer-to-peer programs. He also admitted to looking for child pornography, downloading, watching, and later deleting the files. A forensic examination of Mr. Murphy’s computer, which was seized during execution of the warrant, revealed evidence of 109 images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
"The viewers of child pornography provide the market that leads the producers to corrupt and defile children in the making of it; thus the users are as guilty as anyone else in the production/distribution chain, and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law by my office," said United States Attorney Peeler.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert D. McCullers is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Questions concerning this case should be directed to Pamela Lightsey, Public Information Officer, United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 621-2603.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
