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November 20, 2015Phoenix, AZ, United StatesChild Exploitation

Phoenix man ordered to serve 14-year sentence for child exploitation offenses

PHOENIX – An Awatukee man was sentenced to a 14-year prison term Thursday for trading and receiving child pornography, following an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Thomas Robert Kernohan, 35, pleaded guilty in October to receiving and distributing child pornography. According to court documents, an HSI undercover investigation revealed that during a nine-month period beginning in February 2013, Kernohan was identified as an online trader in child pornography through a foreign file-sharing website. During a search of his residence in October 2013, HSI special agents located an encrypted external hard drive containing hundreds of pictures and images of child pornography. Kernohan admitted to collecting the images, stating that he had "a sick fascination with young boys" and that he knew it was "obviously wrong."

Kernohan was sentenced by Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Jose Padilla. Upon completion of his prison term, Kernohan will remain on probation for life and will be required to register as a sex offender.

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.

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