Rhode Island man charged in federal child pornography investigation

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — A Rhode Island man was charged Friday with receiving, distributing and possessing child pornography, following an initial appearance in federal court in Providence.

This case resulted from an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with the assistance of the FBI, the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force and the Warwick (Rhode Island) Police Department.

Jordan Monroe, 50, of Warwick, Rhode Island., was charged in a federal criminal complaint with receiving and distributing child pornography, and possessing and accessing with intent to view child pornography after HSI special agents allegedly discovered tens of thousands of computer files containing images and videos of alleged child pornography, on numerous computers seized from Monroe’s residence.

During the execution of a search warrant at Monroe’s residence on Friday, authorities seized six computers, three which act as servers. A brief forensic review of the contents of four of the computers revealed a massive collection of computer files which allegedly contain images and videos of child pornography. A forensically trained HSI special agent advised investigators that he saw tens of thousands of files with names consistent with child pornography that he has seen in other investigations in his experience.

According to court documents and information presented to the court, a nationwide investigation launched in September 2015 by HSI’s Cyber Crimes Center Child Exploitations Unit and the Department of Justice, Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, High Technology Investigative Unit has identified Internet sites allegedly used for posting, sharing and viewing child pornography. It is alleged that numerous IP addresses in the United States and outside the country have been identified as allegedly viewing and sharing child pornography on the sites and that one such IP address was identified as belonging to a person at Monroe’s residence.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

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.

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