Child pornography sentencing results from ICE HSI investigation

SAN FRANCISCO – Clifford Chandler Grader, 42, of Santa Rosa, California, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer Feb. 12, to four years in prison after pleading guilty to possession of child pornography.

“This abhorrent exploitation of innocent children has no place in American society. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) will vigorously pursue anyone involved in the production, distribution, or possession of child pornography to the fullest extent of the law,” said Tatum King, special agent in charge, HSI San Francisco.

The Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office initiated the investigation. “The Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office appreciates the assistance of our federal partners at Homeland Security Investigations and the United States Attorney’s Office to help combat the spread of child sexual abuse imagery being distributed on the Internet and we will continue to focus on providing support and assistance to the victims of these horrible crimes,” said Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office Senior Inspector Darryl Holcombe.

As the investigation developed at the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Coast Guard also participated.

Grader had over 600 images and video of child pornography on his phone, including images of children under 12 years old. Additionally, Grader traded child pornography images online.

Judge Breyer accepted the recommendation in Grader’s plea agreement that his sentence include four years (48 months) in prison, a ten-year term of supervised release, restitution of $3,000, and special assessments of $5,100.

The sentencing was a result of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) HSI San Francisco’s work with state and local partners, the Silicon Valley Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of California.

Homeland Security Investigations

HSI takes a victim-centered approach to its child exploitation investigations by working to identify, rescue and stabilize victims. In fiscal year 2019, HSI nationally made nearly 4,000 child exploitation arrests, resulting in more than 1,750 convictions.

HSI works in partnership with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and other federal, state, and local agencies to help solve cases and rescue sexually exploited children. Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to NCMEC via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST.

For Internet safety information for educators, parents, and children alike, please visit HSI’s iGuardians page to learn more.

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.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, 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 to identify and rescue victims.

For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.