Texas man sentenced to 13 years in prison for child pornography

TYLER, Texas — A registered sex offender in East Texas was sentenced in federal court Tuesday to 13 years in prison for trading in child pornography.

This sentence is the result of an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Texas Department of Public Safety – Criminal Investigations Division and the Anderson County (Texas) Sheriff's Office.

Alvin Westley, 50, of Palestine, Texas, previously pleaded guilty in January to possessing child pornography. He was sentenced June 24 to 156 months in federal prison.

According to court records, Westley knowingly possessed child pornography on Jan. 26, 2011. At the time of the offense, Westley was a registered sex offender having been previously convicted of three counts of indecency with a child. Westley was indicted by a federal grand jury Oct. 23, 2013, and charged with federal child pornography violations.

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 10,000 individuals for crimes against children, including producing and distributing online child pornography, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking children. In fiscal year 2013, more than 2,000 individuals were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative.

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. 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.

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.