Repeat child pornography offender sentenced in Mississippi

JACKSON, Miss. — A Mississippi man was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison Friday followed by a lifetime of supervised release for possessing child pornography. The sentencing follows an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Christopher Allen Morace, 31, of Clinton, pleaded guilty Sept. 26 to possessing child pornography. HSI special agents searched his Hinds County residence May 31, 2012, and seized an external hard drive that included child pornography.

"Child pornographers often go to great lengths in an attempt to conceal their criminal actions," said HSI New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Raymond R. Parmer Jr. "This case shows that despite those attempts to hide, HSI investigators are routinely able to identify and seek prosecution of these dangerous individuals to make our communities a safer place for law-abiding citizens everywhere."

Parmer oversees a five-state region including Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana and Tennessee.

Morace was previously sentenced to one year in federal prison in North Carolina for child pornography possession in 2008.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenda R. Haynes prosecuted the case in the Southern District of Mississippi.

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 1-866-347-2423 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, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-843-5678.

For additional information about wanted suspected child predators, download HSI's Operation Predator smartphone app or visit the online suspect alerts page.

HSI is a founding member and current chair of the Virtual Global Taskforce, an international alliance of law enforcement agencies and private industry sector partners working together to prevent and deter online child sexual abuse.