Recidivist Fresno-area sex offender sentenced to 10 years for possession of child pornography

FRESNO, Calif. - A Farmersville, Calif., man was sentenced Monday to 10 years in prison for possession of child pornography following an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

In addition to the jail time, Matthew Patrick Schorr, 48, will be subject to 14 years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term.

According to court documents, Schorr was previously convicted of possessing child pornography in 2002. In 2009, he was found to be in possession of child pornography again. On February 14, he pleaded guilty.

The case is the result of an extensive investigation by ICE HSI in collaboration with the Lindsay Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian W. Enos.

"This sentence should serve as a sobering warning about the serious consequences facing repeat violators in child exploitation cases," said Michael Prado, acting assistant special agent in charge for ICE HSI in Fresno. "ICE Homeland Security Investigations will continue to work closely with its law enforcement partners to target these egregious offenders to see that they are held accountable for their crimes."

This investigation is part of ICE's Operation Predator, a nationwide initiative to identify, investigate and arrest those who sexually exploit children, and the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood, which marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet.

As part of Operation Predator, ICE encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at 1-866-347-2423. 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.

Through Project Safe Childhood (PSC), the Department of Justice is seeking to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC mobilizes federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.

For additional information on the PSC initiative, go to www.projectsafechildhood.gov or call the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of California and ask to speak with the PSC coordinator.