Rockville Man Sentenced To Over 6 Years In Prison For Distribution Of Child Pornography

Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm sentenced Michael Gaskin, age 33, of Rockville, Maryland, today to 78 months in prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release, for distribution of child pornography. Judge Grimm ordered that upon his release from prison, Gaskin must register as a sex offender in the place where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein and Special Agent in Charge Stephen E. Vogt of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

According to Gaskin’s plea agreement, on 10 occasions between December 2012 and September 2012, Gaskin sent images documenting the sexual abuse of prepubescent children, including toddlers, to an individual whom Gaskin had met online in a chat room. On December 2, 2013, a search was conducted at Gaskin’s residence and his computer was seized. A forensic analysis of the computer identified 262 images and two videos documenting the sexual abuse of minors.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the "resources" tab on the left of the page.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI for its work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney LisaMarie Freitas of the U.S. Justice Department, Criminal Division, Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Trial Attorney Sarah Chang, also of the U.S. Department of Justice, Criminal Division, Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, who prosecuted the case.