Fla. man sentenced to 50 years on child pornography charges

ORLANDO, Fla. — A Melbourne who lured young girls with candy in order to produce child pornography was sentenced to 50 years in federal prison Thursday following his arrest by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE).

Alan Gregory Ender, 58, was also ordered to serve a life term of supervised release and to comply with Sex Offender Registration and Notification by Chief U.S. District Judge Anne C. Conway. He pleaded guilty to the charges Nov. 14, 2013.

According to court documents, this investigation began when an Internet website reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) that a specific Internet Protocol (IP) address was engaged in downloading child pornography. HSI and FDLE determined the location of the IP address and interviewed Ender. Ender admitted to downloading and possessing child pornography for a period of two to three years. He also admitted to producing child pornography. In order to produce the child pornography, Ender lured two six-year old neighborhood girls to his home with candy. He then took explicit photographs of the girls on his bed.

"HSI conducts child exploitation cases under the agency's Operation Predator, and in this case the defendant truly fits that bill," said acting HSI Tampa Special Agent in Charge Shane Folden. "By tricking these vulnerable children and exploiting their innocence, Mr. Ender has demonstrated the significant threat he poses to our communities."

Following the execution of a search warrant, Ender's computers and cameras were seized and searched. A forensic examination of the computer revealed 151 image files and one movie file depicting pornographic images of the two young girls, which Ender produced using his cameras. The forensic examination further revealed an additional 477 movie files and 102 image files of child pornography.

The investigation is part of 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 the production and distribution of online child pornography, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking of 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.

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.