Central Texas man sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for child pornography crimes

LUBBOCK, Texas — A man from central Texas was sentenced Friday by U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings to 20 years in federal prison, following his guilty plea in February to one count of transportation of child pornography.

Acting U.S. Attorney John Parker, Northern District of Texas, announced this sentence.  This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the following agencies: Dallas Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, Texas Department of Public Safety’s Criminal Investigations Division, Taylor County (Texas) Sheriff’s Office, and the San Angelo Police Department’s Special Operations Division.

According to documents filed in the case, on Oct. 25, Larry Richie Fields, 45, of Wingate, Texas, who has been in federal custody since his arrest in January, used the Internet to transport two images of child pornography using an online social networking service.

Over a period of years, beginning no later than 2012, Fields used various social networking services and online storage services to post and store images depicting minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.  Fields used multiple usernames to trade, collect, transport and receive child pornography.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven M. Sucsy of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Lubbock, Texas, prosecuted.

This investigation was 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 12,000 individuals for crimes against children, including the production and distribution of online child pornography, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking of children. In fiscal year 2014, 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.