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September 7, 2014Wichita, KS, United StatesChild Exploitation

Kansas man pleads guilty to possessing, distributing child pornography

WICHITA, Kan. — After his effort to suppress evidence gathered by Internet service provider AOL failed, a Kansas man pleaded guilty Monday to possessing and sending child pornography.

This guilty plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom, District of Kansas.  This guilty plea resulted from an investigation conducted by the following agencies:  U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), and the Wichita/Sedgwick County Exploited and Missing Children's Unit (EMCU).

Walter E. Ackerman, 56, of Lebanon, Kansas, pleaded guilty Sept. 8 to one count of distributing child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography. In his plea, he admitted using AOL email to send child pornography to another user.

AOL detected the child pornography with an automated image detection and filtering process that scans for malware, viruses and illegal images, such as child pornography. AOL forwarded this information to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which in turn notified ICAC and EMCU.

Ackerman's attorney moved to suppress the email evidence on the grounds that the evidence was obtained through an illegal search and seizure, with AOL and NECMEC acting as government investigators without a search warrant. U.S. District Judge Eric Melgren ruled that neither AOL nor NCMEC are state actors, and the Fourth Amendment against unreasonable search and seizure does not apply to them.

Ackerman's sentencing is set for Nov. 24. He faces a minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison, and a fine up to $250,000 for distributing; and a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for possessing child pornography.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart, District of Kansas, is prosecuting the 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 2012, 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.

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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