Former Sheriff's Deputy Sentenced for Child Porn

BEAUMONT, March 18, 2008 - United States Attorney John L. Ratcliffe announced today that a former Nacogdoches County Sheriff’s Deputy has been sentenced to 97 months in federal prison for child pornography violations in the Eastern District of Texas.

MICHAEL PAUL KENNEDY, 32, pleaded guilty to transporting or shipping child pornography, receipt of child pornography, and possession of child pornography on October 3, 2007. He was sentenced today by United States District Judge Thad Heartfield.

According to information presented in court, on October 7, 2006, law enforcement officers acting on information received from a federal investigation into on-line child pornography sites, interviewed Kennedy in Nacogdoches and subsequently took possession of his personal computer. The computer was found to contain over a thousand images of child pornography. At the time of the investigation, Kennedy was employed as a Lieutenant with the Nacogdoches County Sheriff’s Office. He is no longer employed with the Nacogdoches County Sheriff’s Office. Kennedy was indicted by a federal grand jury on August 1, 2007.

"Every time an image of child pornography is viewed, the sexual victimization of a child is repeated," Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott said. "This defendant, a former law enforcement officer, betrayed the public's trust by preying on children. The Cyber Crimes Unit will continue to track down and arrest child sex predators. We are grateful to U.S. Attorney John Ratcliffe for his dedication to Texas children."

This case is part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC). In February 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/ .

This case was being investigated by the Texas Attorney General’s Cyber Crimes Unit, the Texas Ranger Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Wannarka.

Give us your Feedback about this story!