Arkansas man sentenced to 60 years for sexually exploiting 2 teenage girls

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — An Arkansas man was sentenced to 60 years in federal prison Monday after pleading guilty to producing child pornography of two 13-year-old girls. The sentencing follows an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Madison County Sheriff's Department.

According to court documents, James Hanna, 67, was arrested after a concerned parent contacted local law enforcement in August 2012 to report that Hanna had sexually assaulted two girls. After interviewing the minors, HSI special agents along with Madison County deputies executed a search warrant at Hanna's residence where they seized multiple images containing child pornography.

"This case shows how important it is for anyone who suspects child exploitation to report it as soon as possible so children who are being abused can be rescued," said HSI New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Raymond R. Parmer, Jr. "By coordinating federal and local law enforcement efforts, this predator was promptly identified so he can no longer harm innocent children." Parmer oversees a five state area that includes Arkansas, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee.

Hanna pleaded guilty to two counts of producing child pornography Jan. 7 before U.S. District Judge Jimm Larry Hendren in the Western District of Arkansas. In addition to 60 years in federal prison without the possibility of parole, Hanna was fined $25,000, and he will be subject to a lifetime of supervised release if he is ever released from prison.

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 1-866-347-2423 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, 1-800-843-5678.

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.