Skip to main content
October 25, 2013Hot Springs, AR, United StatesChild Exploitation

Arkansas man sentenced to 7 years for downloading child pornography

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. — An Arkansas man was sentenced to seven years in federal prison Tuesday for downloading multiple images and videos containing child pornography. The sentencing follows an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Arkansas Internet Crimes Against Children task force.

Paul Dunn, 50, of Hot Springs, pleaded guilty June 7 to federal charges of receiving child pornography. In addition to seven years in prison, U.S. District Judge Susan O. Hickey ordered Dunn to serve five years supervised release following the completion of his sentence.

"Individuals who download child pornography further the victimization of innocent children who have already experienced horrific abuse," said HSI New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Raymond R. Parmer Jr. "These predators do severe damage to our society and HSI will continue to investigate and seek prosecution wherever these criminals may be found."

Parmer oversees a five-state region including Arkansas, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee.

According to court documents, beginning in August 2011, undercover HSI investigators downloaded images of child pornography stored on Dunn's computer. HSI subsequently executed a federal search warrant at Dunn's residence Feb. 1, 2012, where investigators seized a computer and other digital media containing numerous images of child pornography and multiple videos of minors engaged in sexual conduct with adults.

This investigation was part of Operation Predator, a nationwide HSI initiative to protect children from sexual predators, including those who travel overseas for sex with minors, Internet child pornographers, criminal alien sex offenders and child sex traffickers. HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at 1-866-DHS-2ICE or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators.

Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678).

HSI is a founding member and the U.S. representative of the Virtual Global Taskforce, an international alliance of law enforcement agencies and private industry sector partners working together to prevent and deter online child sexual abuse.

Updated: