AVERY FREEL, aged 23, from Ocean Springs, Mississippi, entered a guilty plea on April 10, 2025, for attempted receipt of materials involving the sexual exploitation of minors. The plea was made before U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon. This was announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson.
Freel is facing a mandatory minimum sentence of five years, with the possibility of up to twenty years in prison. The potential fine could reach $250,000. Additionally, after serving his time, Freel could undergo supervised release for a period of no less than five years and possibly up to life. A mandatory special assessment fee of $100 is also applicable.
The case falls under Project Safe Childhood, a national initiative started in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. This project aims to address the issue of child sexual exploitation and abuse. According to the initiative, various resources are pooled to locate, arrest, and prosecute offenders who exploit children, particularly through the internet, while also working to identify and rescue victims.
Assisting in this case were the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the Hammond Police Department, and the Louisiana Bureau of Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit, is handling the prosecution.
For further details regarding Project Safe Childhood, information is available on their website.
