Oregon man sentenced for possessing violent images of child exploitation

EUGENE, Ore. – A 48-year-old Winston, Ore., man was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison Tuesday for possessing child pornography, following an undercover investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Douglas Allen Brown pleaded guilty to the charges in April 2011. Computer evidence seized by HSI special agents at Brown's home showed that he possessed more than 400 images of child pornography. Brown was discovered by undercover HSI special agents sharing child pornography over the Internet, which led the search of his home.

According to court documents, Brown admitted knowingly possessing digital storage media that contained visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. He also admitted the images portrayed sadistic and masochistic conduct and other depictions of violence of prepubescent children.

In the search of Brown's home, special agents found that Brown's roommate and co-defendant, Michael Bruce Hays, possessed more than 16,000 illicit photos and in excess of 300 videos. Hays pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography in September 2009 and is currently serving a 10-year prison sentence.

Upon release from custody, Brown will serve a 10-year period of supervised release. During his supervised release, he must abide by a number of conditions which include mental health counseling, restricted access to computers and the Internet, and registration as a sex offender.

The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Oregon.

As part of Operation Predator, 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 and Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, at 1-800-843-5678 or http://www.cybertipline.com.

Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section in the Justice Department's Criminal Division, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov or call the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Oregon and ask to speak with the coordinator.