Northern Florida man sentenced to 30 years for production and receipt of child pornography

PENSACOLA, Fla. – A man from Gulf Breeze, Fla., was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison Monday, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for production and receipt of child pornography. The sentencing resulted from an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with assistance from the Northern Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

On Feb. 15, HSI and its task force partners executed a search warrant at the residence of Joseph Richard Robson Sr., 72. The HSI special agents seized a number of computers, cameras and storage devices, among other items. Subsequent forensic analysis revealed that between 2010 and 2012, Robson received and stored more than 6,000 files that contained images and/or videos of child pornography. The analysis also revealed that in 2010, Robson engaged in sexually explicit conduct at his Gulf Breeze home with an 8-year-old child in order to produce child pornography.

"Homeland Security Investigations does not tolerate child predators," said Sue McCormick, special agent in charge of HSI Tampa. "You cannot hide. We will find you. We will arrest you, and we will prosecute you."

Robson is also required to attend sex offender treatment and register as a sex offender.

He pleaded guilty to production and receipt of child pornography July 5.

This investigation was part of Operation Predator, a nationwide HSI initiative 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-DHS-2ICE 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, at 1-800-843-5678 or http://www.cybertipline.com.