Man sentenced to 30 years for producing child pornography

RICHMOND, Va. — A Virginia man was sentenced Friday to 30 years in federal prison for production of child pornography, following an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Powhatan (Virginia) County Sheriff's Office.

According to court documents and evidence presented at court, James Edward May II, 42, of Powhatan County, sexually abused a 4-year-old and a 7-year-old child, and produced child pornographic images using them as subjects during 2011. The images were produced using May's cell phone.

Forensic analysts recovered a number of additional child pornographic images and videos downloaded from the Internet. Further evidence revealed that May also distributed child pornography images using his cell phone in November and December of 2011.

State authorities arrested May on possession of child pornography charges related to the current investigation in Powhatan County in late 2011.

Dozens of the child pornographic images recovered in the case were identified by the National Center for Missing & Exploited children as the same victims seen in law enforcement investigations around the country. Following his prison term, May will be required to register as a sex offender in any U.S. jurisdiction in which he lives, works or attends school.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Gene Fishel of the Virginia Attorney General's Office is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

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-DHS-2ICE 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-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678).

HSI is a founding member and the U.S. representative 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.