Ohio man sentenced to 30 years for producing child pornography

CINCINNATI - A 56-year-old Springdale, Ohio, man, who filmed and took explicit photographs of a minor, was sentenced in federal court today following an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Springdale Police.

Timothy J. McNamee, was indicted March 2010 on charges that he produced images of child pornography and uploaded them to the internet where they were viewed internationally.

"The significant sentence in this case should serve as a sobering reminder that our kids are vulnerable and that sadly they often need protection from those who should be looking out for them" said Brian M. Moskowitz, special agent in charge of ICE HSI in Ohio and Michigan. "HSI and its partners, like the Springdale Police Department and our prosecutors in this case, stand shoulder to shoulder to address the threat."

Carter M. Stewart, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Moskowitz, and Springdale Police Chief Michael Mathis announced the sentence handed down today by Chief U.S. District Judge Susan Dlott.

McNamee pleaded guilty on June 14, 2010 to four counts, one count each of producing child pornography, distribution of child pornography, receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography.

HSI agents patrolling the Internet in 2009 for websites suspected of distributing child pornography found 17 images of a 10-year old girl engaged in sexually explicit activity on one of the sites and traced them back to a computer at McNamee's Springdale residence.

"Further investigation by agents and Springdale Police officers determined that McNamee had taken 164 photos of the girl and three videos," U.S. Attorney Carter Stewart said in a document filed with the court. "Some images portrayed sadistic or masochistic conduct or other depictions of violence; to wit, the girl was depicted in a sexually explicit manner while being bound with rope."

Agents also found more than 500 other images of child pornography involving other children. The investigators determined that the images had been viewed not only across the U.S., but internationally as well.

Stewart commended the cooperative investigation by HSI agents and Springdale officers, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leslie Williams and Christy Muncy, who are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant should be presumed innocent unless convicted in court.

This investigation is part of Operation Predator, a nationwide ICE 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.

ICE encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at 1-866-DHS-2ICE. This hotline is staffed around the clock by investigators.

Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, at 1-800-843-5678 or http://www.cybertipline.com.