Indiana man sentenced in southeast Texas to more than 7 years in prison for possessing child pornography
BEAUMONT, Texas — An Indiana man, formerly from Vidor, Texas, man was sentenced Thursday to seven years and three months in federal prison for 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), and the Beaumont Police Department.
Raymond Gajewski, 66, from Hammond, Indiana, pleaded guilty Dec. 4, 2014 to possessing child pornography; he was sentenced May 14 to 87 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Ron Clark.
“Child pornography is the permanent record of the sexual exploitation of a child and the victimization continues every time that image is transmitted, downloaded, shared or viewed,” said Brian M. Moskowitz, special agent in charge of HSI Houston. “HSI special agents, along with our law enforcement partners, will continue to seek justice for those who have been exploited and victimized.”
According to court information, in April 2012, the owner of a computer that once belonged to Gajewski, notified law enforcement officers that the computer contained images of child pornography. Gajewski had left the computer in Vidor after relocating to Indiana. Gajewski admitted possessing the images on the computer and to abandoning it in Vidor. A forensic analysis of the computer revealed about 300 images, including two videos of child pornography. Gajewski was indicted by a federal grand jury Aug. 6, 2014.
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 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 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.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Randall L. Fluke, Eastern District of Texas, prosecuted this case.
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