DAYTON, Ohio - A local Kempo Karate instructor was sentenced in federal court here on Friday to more than five years in prison for possessing child pornography. Agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted this investigation.

Eric Moser, 54, of 5289 Olentangy Dr. in Dayton, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Walter H. Rice to 63 months in prison, to be followed by three years' probation.

ICE agents executed a search warrant at Moser's residence in February 2005 after receiving information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding his trading of child pornography by computer. The search warrant and subsequent forensic analysis of his computer revealed more than 2,100 images of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct mixed with adult pornography.

“This case reveals the disturbing truth that some adults will go to great lengths to sexually exploit children,” said Brian M. Moskowitz, special agent-in-charge of the ICE Office of Investigations covering Michigan and Ohio. “While we cannot restore innocence to those who were abused and exploited, we can make sure that justice is served. The cooperative efforts of Ohio law enforcement agencies and federal prosecutors ensured that justice was indeed served on behalf of the victims.”

This case is part of Operation Predator, ICE's comprehensive initiative to safeguard children from foreign national pedophiles, international sex tourists, Internet child pornographers, and human traffickers. Since Operation Predator was launched in July 2003, ICE agents have arrested more than 8,400 individuals nationwide, including 100 in Ohio.

ICE encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at 1-866-DHS-2ICE. Investigators staff this hotline around the clock. Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, at 1-800-843-5678 or http://www.cybertipline.com.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Dwight Keller, Southern District of Ohio, prosecuted this case.

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