Crimes against Children 8-16-12

Omaha, NE
A Nebraska man has been given 80 months in federal prison for distributing child pornography.

Federal prosecutors say 24-year-old Matthew McCann must serve 10 years of supervised release after he leaves prison and must pay $2,500 restitution to 1 of the people depicted in his collection of child porn.

Officers searched an Omaha residence where McCann was staying on May 9 last year. Prosecutors say McCann admitted downloading child porn daily, and investigators found more than 60 videos on McCann's computer.

Prosecutors also say FBI technicians found sexually explicit texts that McCann had sent from his cellphone to a 13-year-old girl.

Davenport, IA
A Bettendorf woman who used a minor to produce child pornography has been sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Federal prosecutors announced Wednesday that 37-year-old Amanda Diener received the 240-month prison term after pleading guilty to conspiracy to sexually exploit a child.

Prosecutors said that Diener used an unidentified female minor to whom she had access to perform sex acts, photograph them and send images to a Massachusetts man identified as Hobart Yates.
Yates and Diener also admitted that Diener performed sex acts on a live webcam that Yates watched.

San Marino, CA
A San Marino man convicted two months ago of using a hidden camera to take photos up the skirts of unsuspecting women was behind bars again Wednesday, accused of possessing child pornography.

Police arrested Justin Kerong Chen, 18, Tuesday while serving a search warrant at his home, San Marino police officials said in a written statement.

San Marino police began investigating Chen in connection with child pornography after information was developed while investigating him for different crimes earlier this year, San Marino police Detective Susana Franco said.

He was arrested in March after police found him in possession of burglary tools, as well as a "covert camera" which he had been using to take surreptitious photographs up women's skirts in public, the detective said.

Jacksonville, FL
Joshua Jay Williamson (24, Jacksonville) pled guilty today to two counts of making extortionate communications over the Internet and one count of possessing child pornography. For each of the extortion counts, Williamson faces up to two years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine for the child pornography charge. The sentencing date for Williamson has not yet been scheduled.

According to court documents, from February 2011 through June 7, 2011, Williamson repeatedly used a computer and interactive computer services to transmit threatening communications to several female individuals over the Internet from Jacksonville. He transmitted these threatening communications with the intent to extort sexually explicit photographic images from these female victims. Williamson compromised the e-mail and social networking accounts of the female victims in an effort to gather personal information about them, including sexually suggestive and provocative photographs of them. He sent electronic communications to the victims and demanded that they send him nude and sexually explicit photos. Williamson would tell the victim that if she did not comply with his demand, he would send sexually suggestive and provocative pictures to her friends on her e-mail contact lists.

A forensic analysis of Williamson’s computer revealed folders titled in the names of nearly 150 different women. Many of the folders contained photographs of the women, as well as their personal information, including addresses, Social Security numbers, passwords, and income tax returns. Approximately 23 images and 31 videos of child pornography were also found on his computer.

Columbus, OH
A federal grand jury has returned a three-count indictment charging Todd L. Smith, 49, of Columbus, with two counts of attempted production of sexually explicit conduct of a minor and one count of coercion of a minor for sexual activity. Smith is a Columbus Police officer.

The indictment alleges that on April 14, 2012 and on May 14, 2012, Smith tried to coerce a minor to make sexually explicit videos of herself engaging in a sex act and a sexually explicit photo of herself and send them to him. Each of the counts is punishable by at least 15 years and up to 30 years in prison.

The third count charges Smith with coercion and enticement of a minor in connection with a second victim between May 1, 2012 and July 25, 2012. Smith allegedly texted the minor repeatedly and arranged to meet with her to engage in sexual activity. That crime is punishable by at least 10 years and up to life in prison.