Jacksonville man sentenced to 60 years for producing child pornography
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A Florida man was sentenced Wednesday to 60 years in federal prison for using a minor child to produce videos depicting child pornography. This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO).
In addition, Charles Franklin Hudson, Jr., 39, of Jacksonville was ordered to register as a sex offender, and to forfeit his electronic media.
According to court documents, Jan. 6, 2014, an officer with the JSO was dispatched to a residence in response to a call regarding allegations of sexual battery on a minor child. Subsequently, detectives from the JSO Sex Crimes Unit interviewed the child, who indicated that she had been sexually abused by Hudson. Two days later, detectives obtained a search warrant for Hudson’s residence. During the execution of the warrant, officers discovered numerous items of digital media, including several computers, cameras, SD cards, CDs, and DVDs. In the attic, officers recovered a backpack containing cameras, sex devices and restraints, and several pill bottles bearing Hudson’s name. Five SD cards were found inside one of the pill bottles.
"This prison sentence sends a strong message of deterrence to predators who think they can sexually exploit innocent children and get away with it," said Susan L. McCormick, special agent in charge of HSI Tampa. "We cannot undo the trauma to these children, but with law enforcement partners like the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, we will do everything in our power to bring these criminals to justice."
Subsequent forensic analyses of the five SD cards revealed approximately 90 video and image files depicting sexually explicit conduct involving Hudson. At least two of these videos, which had been produced by Hudson, depicted him and a minor child engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Hudson was arrested Jan. 8, 2014. He pleaded guilty July 16, 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.
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