ALBANY, Ga. — The U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia said a 41-year-old Pelham, Ga., man pleaded guilty in court Tuesday to one count of distributing child pornography
Michael S. King is facing a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000 and a supervised release term of up to life for the crime.
A sentencing date has yet to be scheduled.
"The distribution of child pornography online is in our own backyards, not just in a distant city in another country," Peeler said. "These are not nameless victims, but real children who are being horribly abused and hurt. These children are victimized every time the images are shared and viewed."
King's illegal activity was uncovered in August 2018, as part of an investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations.
According to courtroom testimony, King, using the online alias SilentDream1977, uploaded and distributed images of child pornography using the app Kik. HSI agents, along with the Pelham Police Department, executed a search warrant at King's home on January 17, 2019.
The search warrant uncovered two desktop computers, a laptop, an iPad, an iPhone and two thumb drives, all containing child pornography. King admitted in court that he had been possessing, downloading and viewing child pornography "for forever."
"While shutting down this defendant's heinous activity will never bring back the innocence that these children lost, it should serve as a message that these types of criminals cannot hide behind the anonymity of a computer screen," said acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees HSI operations in Alabama and Georgia. "HSI and its law enforcement partners throughout the country have the tools to identify and shut down these perpetrators who re-victimize these children every time they share these disgusting images."
HSI and the Pelham Police Department worked together to investigate this case.
NOTE: The author of this article, Michael H. King, is no way related to the subject of this story.
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