NEW HAVEN, CT--Kevin J. O'Connor, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Matthew J. Etre, acting special agent-in-charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in New England, announced that John Salmon, age 39, formerly of 33-3 Windermere Avenue, Vernon, Connecticut, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Mark R. Kravitz in New Haven to120 months of imprisonment, followed by 10 years of supervised release. On April 25, 2006, Salmon pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography that had been transmitted over the Internet.

According to documents filed with the Court and statements made in court, Salmon used the Internet to obtain more than 160 images of child pornography. Investigators had traced email traffic to Salmon's computer and, on November 11, 2003, seized the computer from Salmon's residence in Vernon. Thereafter, Salmon abandoned his residence. Investigators examined Salmon's computer and located images of child pornography. Some of the images depicted prepubescent girls being subjected to sexual abuse. On February 3, 2006, Salmon was arrested in Bergenfield, New Jersey.

Salmon, a former Montville Police constable, was convicted of advertising child pornography in 1997. He was sentenced to six months of imprisonment for that offense.

“This case demonstrates that the federal penalties for possessing child pornography are severe, especially for those with prior convictions,” U.S. Attorney O'Connor stated. “Individuals with a predilection for viewing child pornography are encouraged to seek mental health counseling before you find yourself in a federal courtroom facing a long period of incarceration and a lifetime on the sexual offender registry.”

The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Vernon Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John A. Danaher III.

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