Kansas sex offender sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for possessing child pornography

WICHITA, Kan. — A western Kansas man, who is also a registered sex offender, was sentenced in federal court Wednesday to 20 years in prison for possessing child pornography.

This sentence resulted from an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Hamilton County (Kansas) Sheriff's Office, with the assistance of the Wichita (Kansas) Police Department.

Wade H. Dewey, 48, of Syracuse, Kansas, pleaded guilty to one count of possessing child pornography. In his plea, he admitted that on Aug. 2, 2013, he was found at home possessing images and videos depicting child pornography, which he had obtained via the Internet.

Dewey was previously convicted in 1999 in Pueblo, Colorado, on a charge of criminal attempt to sexually assault a child.

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 2,000 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.