Nevada peeping tom sentenced to 19 years for child exploitation crimes

RENO, Nev. — A Carson City man who used a hidden camera to spy on a teen showering in his home was sentenced Monday to 19 years in federal prison, following a probe by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Northern Nevada Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

Marcus Gabriel Henderson, 34, pleaded guilty in January to attempted production of child pornography and transportation of child pornography. Court records state Henderson came to the attention of law enforcement through an undercover child pornography investigation.

In July 2013, HSI obtained a federal search warrant for Henderson's home, where an investigator located a pinhole camera disguised as an AC adaptor in a bathroom. Forensic examination of the camera's media card revealed more than 275 video clips, each about one minute in length, which appeared to have been taken in the toilet and shower areas of one or more bathrooms. The camera had been positioned to capture nude images of two different female victims, one of whom was 13 years old at the time.

Henderson admitted he intended to distribute the images and video on the Internet, according to court records. He also admitted to traveling to South Dakota with the illicit materials and to distributing some by email. The search of his home netted an additional 1,200 images and 10 videos of child pornography from computers and digital devices that Henderson used. Some of the files depicted prepubescent children and sadistic and masochistic conduct.

"For most people, criminal acts against children are impossible to comprehend," said Kyle Burns, resident agent in charge of HSI Reno. "For a child who has been tricked and sexually exploited by someone they trusted, the physical and emotional scars will be with them forever. As this sentence makes unmistakably clear, child sex predators will be caught, prosecuted, and meted the justice they deserve for their despicable actions."

"The sharing of child pornography over the Internet results in repeated re-victimization and can negatively affect a victim for the rest of his or her life," said U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden. "The persons who produce these images and trade them with other persons deserve significant sentences of imprisonment."

Following his release from prison, Henderson will be placed on lifetime supervised release and be required to register as a sex offender.

This investigation was conducted under HSI's Operation Predator, an international initiative to protect children from sexual predators. Since the launch of Operation Predator in 2003, HSI has arrested more than 10,000 individuals for crimes against children, including the production and distribution of online child pornography, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking of children. In fiscal year 2013, more than 2,000 individuals were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative.

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. 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.

For additional information about wanted suspected child predators, download HSI's Operation Predator smartphone app or visit the online suspect alerts page.