A Beaumont man has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for possessing child pornography while residing at a halfway house, according to an announcement from Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs of the Eastern District of Texas.
James Richard Rollins, 39, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography and received a sentence of 240 months from U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on July 29, 2025.
Court records show that law enforcement responded on October 27, 2023, after a parole supervisor reported having a parolee’s cell phone containing images and videos of child pornography. The unit supervisor at the Beaumont halfway house stated that another resident saw Rollins watching child pornography on his phone.
Investigators found that Rollins’ device held numerous photos and videos depicting minors in sexually explicit acts with adults, including images involving prepubescent children. Rollins admitted to downloading and viewing these materials on his phone. Authorities determined he possessed approximately 3,680 images containing child pornography.
The prosecution was conducted under Project Safe Childhood, an initiative started by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at fighting child sexual exploitation and abuse. According to the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood brings together federal, state, and local resources to find and prosecute those who exploit children online and works to identify and rescue victims. More information can be found at www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The FBI and Beaumont Police Department investigated the case, which was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Grove.
"This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov."
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