Texas man pleads guilty to possessing child pornography

BEAUMONT, Texas - A Texas man has pleaded guilty to child pornography violations in the Eastern District of Texas announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales today. The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in conjunction with the Beaumont Police Department.

Jeffery Louis, 51, of Orange, Texas, pleaded guilty Feb. 8 before U.S. District Judge Ron Clark to possessing child pornography. Cribb was indicted by a federal grand jury on Nov. 17, 2010 and charged with federal child pornography violations. Cribb was previously convicted of one count of second degree child molestation and two counts of third degree child molestation in December 1996.

According to court documents, on April 19, 2010, ICE HSI agents executed a federal search warrant at Cribb's residence and seized a personal computer. A forensic analysis of the computer revealed 1,065 images and 325 videos of child pornography. Images showed minors engaged in sadistic, masochistic, or violent sexual acts, and some depicted children less than 12 years of age engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

This investigation was 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.

Cribb faces a minimum of ten years, and up to 20 years, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not been set.

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