Connecticut man sentenced to 17 years on child pornography charges

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – A Connecticut man was sentenced Wednesday to 17 years in prison and 15 years of supervised release for producing and distributing child pornography. This sentence resulted from an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Connecticut State Police.

According to court documents, Heath Trahan, 39, formerly of North Windham, was arrested Oct. 14, 2011, after investigators determined that he had emailed images of child pornography to an individual in New Jersey. At the time of his arrest, investigators seized several computers, related components and a mobile phone. Forensic analysis of the seized phone determined Trahan had used it to take photographs of two minor children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Examination of the seized computers also revealed approximately 500 images and 60 videos of child pornography, which he had in his possession but did not produce.

Trahan pleaded guilty to the charges Dec. 20. He has been in federal custody since his arrest in 2011.

This investigation was part of Operation Predator, a nationwide HSI initiative to protect children from sexual predators, including those who travel overseas for sex with minors, Internet child pornographers, criminal alien sex offenders and child sex traffickers. HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at 1-866-347-2423 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, 1-800-843-5678.

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.