Southeast Texas man sentenced to 6 years in prison for possessing child pornography
VICTORIA, Texas — A local resident was sentenced to six years in federal prison following his conviction for possessing child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson, Southern District of Texas.
This investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with the assistance of the Corpus Christi Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
Sean Patrick Mciver, 28, was sentenced to 72 months in prison by Senior U.S. District Judge John D. Rainey. McIver was further ordered to serve 10 years of supervised release after he completes his prison term, during which time he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the Internet. He will also be ordered to register as a sex offender. Mciver pleaded guilty to the charges Aug. 3.
"Child pornography is the permanent record of the sexual exploitation of a child, and this victimization continues every time that image is transmitted, downloaded, shared or viewed," said Brian M. Moskowitz, special agent in charge of HSI Houston. "HSI special agents and our law enforcement partners take special pride in their role of seeking justice on behalf of those children who have been sexually exploited and victimized."
At the time of his guilty plea, the court heard that HSI special agents, while using peer-to-peer software, were able to successfully download various files containing child pornography from an Internet Protocol address that was associated with Mciver. In December 2014, HSI special agents executed a search warrant at Mciver’s residence, seizing various electronic devices. Forensic analysis of those devices revealed more than 450 images and 24 videos of child pornography. Mciver admitted to using the peer-to-peer software to download the child pornography.
Mciver was arrested on the federal charges in March. He has been in custody since that time where he will remain pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Hugo R. Martinez, Southern District of Texas, is prosecuting this case.
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.
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