11 men from throughout the US receive lengthy prison sentences following an international child exploitation investigation

MISSOULA, Mont. — Eleven men have been sentenced for their roles in an international child pornography network which was targeted by investigators and prosecutors participating in "Operation Kingdom Conqueror." The multi-agency, multi-national effort targeted online bulletin board advertising and exchanging images of child pornography.

These sentences were announced by U.S. Attorney Michael W. Cotter, District of Montana.  

This lengthy and wide ranging investigation is an ongoing cooperative effort by the following law enforcement agencies:  FBI, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations, (HSI), Montana Department of Criminal Investigations, Helena and Polson police departments, U.S. Department of Justice's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, the Montana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the States of Jersey Police Department, Isle of Jersey (near the United Kingdom).

In November 2009, an early participant in the conspiracy designed and created a web-based bulletin board which allowed its members to exchange files online which contained child pornography and non-child pornography images depicting young girls.  As the conspiracy progressed, additional members contributed to the design and operations of the board.  From Nov. 6, 2009 through March 19, 2012, members of the conspiracy used the online bulletin board to share pictures and videos of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct.  During that same time the participants agreed to use the online bulletin board to publish or print notices or ads soliciting additional images of child pornography which they then shared and broadcast on the Internet.

The following 11 defendants pleaded guilty to child porography charges in April; they were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy of Missoula:

• Tony Bronson, 53, from Gary, Indiana, was sentenced Oct. 28 to 224 months in federal prison.  He was also sentenced to 10 years supervised release and $29,859 restitution.  In addition, Bronson must forfeit his computers and storage devices.
• Charles Crosby, 43, from Trenton, New Jersey, was sentenced Oct. 23 to 210 months in federal prison.  He was also sentenced to a lifetime of supervised release and $29,859 restitution.  In addition, Crosby must forfeit his computers and storage devices.
• Steve Humiston, 57, from Tacoma, Washington, was sentenced Oct. 23 to 210 months in federal prison.  He was also sentenced to a lifetime of supervised release, $29,859 restitution and a $5,000 fine.  In addition, Humiston must forfeit his computers and storage devices.
• John Johnson, 58, from Locust Grove, Virginia, was sentenced Oct. 22, to 180 months in federal prison. He was also sentenced to a lifetime of supervised release, and $29,859 restitution.  In addition, Johnson must forfeit his computer and storage device.
• Robert Krise, 66, from Gaithersburg, Maryland, was sentenced Oct. 22 to 180 months in federal prison.  He was also sentenced to a lifetime of supervised release, and $29,859 restitution.  In addition, Krise must forfeit his computers and hard drives.
• Scott Long, 53, from Portland, Oregon, was sentenced Oct. 21 to 200 months in federal prison.  Hewas also sentenced to a lifetime of supervised release, and $29,859 restitution.  In addition, Long must forfeit his computer and storage device.
• Ian Nosek, 42, from Charlottesville, Virginia, was sentenced Oct. 23 to 216 months in federal prison.  He was also sentenced to a lifetime of supervised release, and $29,859 restitution.  In addition, Nosek must forfeit his camera and storage devices.
• Phillip Morris, 42, from Jeffersonville, Indiana was sentenced Oct. 22 to 216 months in federal prison.  He was also sentenced to a lifetime of supervised release, and $29,859 restitution.  In addition, Morris must forfeit his storage devices and cell phone.
• Joseph Purificato, 23, from Mount Vernon, Missouri was sentenced Oct. 28 to 180 months in federal prison.  He was also sentenced to 10 years supervised release, and $29,859 restitution.  In addition, Purificato must forfeit his computers and thumb drive.
• Paul Wencewicz, a 48-year-old resident of Polson, Montana, was sentenced Oct. 21 to 220 months in federal prison.  He was also sentenced to a lifetime of supervise release, and $29,859 restitution.  In addition, Wencewicz must forfeit his computer and storage devices.
• Jeffrey Woolley, 53, from Nicholasville, Kentucky, was sentenced Oct. 28 to 180 months in federal prison.  He was also sentenced to a lifetime of supervised release, and $29,859 restitution.  In addition, Woolley must forfeit his computer and storage devices.

Two other defendants, Joshua Peterson, 45, of Prescott, Arizona, and Steven Grovo, 35, of Shirley, Massachusetts, were found guilty Oct. 9 after a trial of participating in a child exploitation enterprise and a conspiracy to advertise child pornography. Both men are scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 22 in Missoula.

FBI Special Agent in Charge Mary Rook stated, "I commend the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Montana, U.S. Department of Justice Child Exploitation & Obscenity Section and each of the law enforcement agencies who worked on this case for their efforts in bringing justice to the victims.  These successes are only possible through the commitment of our law enforcement community to working together to protect the most vulnerable, and prosecute to the full extent those who prey upon our children."

U.S. Attorney Mike Cotter called the sentences "a major victory in the fight against child exploitation.  Pedophiles who savage our children through pornography, coercion and exploitation are on notice that when they are caught – and they will be caught – the consequences are dire and law enforcement's tolerance for these crimes non-existent".

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyndee L. Peterson and Maureen C. Cain with the U.S. Department of Justice's Child Exploitation & Obscenity Section.

This investigation was also conducted under HSI's Operation Predator, an international initiative to protect children from sexual predators. Since the launch of Operation Predator in 2003, HSI has arrested more than 10,000 individuals for crimes against children, including producing and distributing online child pornography, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking children. In fiscal year 2013, more than 2,000 individuals were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative.

HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE 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.

For additional information about wanted suspected child predators, download HSI's Operation Predator smartphone app or visit the online suspect alerts page.

HSI is a founding member and current chair 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.