North Texas man sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for producing and distributing child pornography

DALLAS — A North Texas man was sentenced Friday by U.S. District Judge John McBryde to serve a total of 20 years in federal prison, following his guilty plea in November 2015 to one count of production of child pornography and one count of distribution of child pornography.

This sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated this case.

Charles Richard Burks, 67, of Mansfield, Texas, has been in custody since his arrest in July 2015 on a related federal criminal complaint, following the execution of a search warrant at his residence.

According to documents filed in the case, around June 30, 2014, Burks used the Internet and Yahoo mail to distribute to another Yahoo email user a video of a minor female engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The subject line of the email was “video,” and it contained the message, “watch.”

On about June 9, 2015, Burks used Yahoo Instant Messenger and his Yahoo email account to communicate with an individual in the Philippines about using minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct. The two discussed what sex acts would be performed during a live show and that Burks would pay $25 for images from the show.

On about June 10, 2015, Burks knowingly employed, used, persuaded and induced a minor female, to engage in sexually explicit conduct, outside of the United States, so that still visual images of that conduct could be produced. Burks intended the visual images to be transported to the United States. In fact, Burks received an email from that individual in the Philippines. The subject line of the email was “here the pics,” and attached were eight images depicting the same minor female.

Assistant U.S. Attorney A. Saleem, Northern District of Texas, was in charge of the prosecution.

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 14,000 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 2015, nearly 2,400 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.