Southeast Texas man sentenced to 9 years in federal prison for possessing child pornography

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A Southeast Texas man was sentenced Wednesday to nine years in federal prison for possessing child pornography.

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.

Nicolas Hamm, 26, from Corpus Christi, pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography after authorities found more than 22,000 child pornography images in his possession.

U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos sentenced Hamm to 108 months in prison. He was further ordered to serve 10 years on 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 must also register as a sex offender.

In January 2017, authorities in Oklahoma were investigating an individual on sex trafficking charges. A search of that person’s cellphone revealed communications via a messenger application with another person with a user name of “jax1821.” The communications involved the sexual exploitation of children, and user name of “jax1821” was later linked to Hamm

In December 2017, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Hamm’s residence and seized several digital devices which led to the discovery of more than 22,000 images and 3,600 videos of child pornography. Many of the videos portrayed prepubescent girls involved in sexually explicit conduct with adult males.

Hamm remains in custody pending his sentencing hearing.

The 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 16,000 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 2016, more than 2,600 child predators were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative and more than 800 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.

HSI is a founding member 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.