East Texas man sentenced to more than 7 years in prison for possessing child pornography

BEAUMONT, Texas – A local man was sentenced Friday to seven years and three months in federal prison for possessing child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales, Eastern District of Texas. This investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Beaumont Police Department, and Jefferson County Sheriff's Office.

Charles Wilburn Odom, 47, pleaded guilty Aug. 7 to possessing child pornography and was sentenced to 87 months Jan. 4 by U.S. District Judge Marcia Crone. Odom was indicted by a federal grand jury May 16.

According to court information, HSI special agents executed a search warrant at Odom's residence in Beaumont, Texas, Oct. 28, 2010. Several computers and digital storage devices were seized during the search revealing more than 140 videos and 79 still images of child pornography. Some of this material was sadistic or masochistic, depicting prepubescent children under the age of 12.

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.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher T. Tortorice, Eastern District of Texas, prosecuted the case.