East Texas man pleads guilty to possessing child pornography

BEAUMONT, Texas — A local man pleaded guilty Wednesday to possessing child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales, Eastern District of Texas.

This investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Beaumont and West Orange (Texas) police departments, and the Orange County (Texas) Sheriff’s Office.

Jonathan Michael Swearingen, 28, of Orange, Texas, pleaded guilty July 1 to possessing child pornography before U.S. Magistrate Judge Zachary J. Hawthorn. Swearingen was indicted by a federal grand jury Oct. 1, 2014 and charged with child exploitation crimes.

According to information presented in court, on Sept. 4, 2013, federal agents executed a search warrant at Swearingen’s residence. Law enforcement authorities identified a computer Internet Protocol (IP) address belonging to Swearingen, which included images of child pornography via file-sharing programs. A personal computer and digital storage devices seized at the residence revealed 308 images and 25 videos of child pornography.

Swearingen faces up to 20 years in federal prison at sentencing. A sentencing date has not been set.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Randall L. Fluke, Eastern District of Texas, prosecuted this case.

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 2,300 individuals were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative and more than 1,000 victims identified or rescued.

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. From outside the U.S. and Canada, callers should dial 802-872-6199. Hearing impaired users can call TTY 802-872-6196. 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.