NJ man sentenced to 18 years for conspiring to produce child pornography

NEW ORLEANS — A New Jersey man was sentenced to more than 18 years in federal prison Friday for conspiring to produce child pornography associated with Operation Roundtable, the largest multi-national child pornography enterprise ever uncovered in the history of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The sentencing follows an investigation by the ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New Orleans Field Office, which uncovered the 27,000 member child pornography ring administered out of Abita Springs, Louisiana.

Stanley Zdon III, 28, of Tuckerton, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty to the charge in March. As part of his guilty plea, Zdon admitted that from December 2012 to October 2013 he conspired to produce child pornography with Jonathan Johnson, the administrator of the enterprise in Abita Springs. Johnson pleaded guilty in March to operating a child pornography enterprise. He is scheduled for sentencing later this year.

So far, HSI investigators have identified more than 250 children in 39 states and five foreign countries victimized by the child pornography network dismantled during Operation Roundtable.

"The production and distribution of child pornography steals the innocence of children and destroys lives," said HSI New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Raymond R. Parmer Jr. "Operation Roundtable serves as a stark warning that HSI investigators are actively working to identity and disrupt the trade of these illegal images, and also to identify and seek prosecution of the criminals who produce and possess them."

In addition to his federal prison term, U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan ordered Zdon to serve at least five years of supervised release following the completion of his sentence and to register as a sex offender. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba prosecuted the case on behalf of Eastern District of Louisiana U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite.

"Stanley Zdon is the latest defendant brought to justice as a result of Operation Roundtable," said Polite. The U.S. Attorney's Office and Homeland Security Investigations will remain vigilant in identifying all those involved in the creation and circulation of these hideous images depicting the sexual exploitation of children."

This investigation, and Operation Roundtable itself, were part of a nationwide HSI initiative, Operation Predator, to protect children from sexual predators, including those who travel overseas for sex with minors, Internet child pornographers, criminal alien sex offenders and child sex traffickers. HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at 1-866-347-2423 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, 1-800-843-5678.

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.