Glen Burnie Man Sentenced To Four Years In Prison For Possession Of Child Pornography

Baltimore, Maryland – Chief U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake sentenced Paul Anthony Philip III, age 31, of Glen Burnie, Maryland, today to four years in prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release, for possession of child pornography. Judge Blake ordered that upon his release from prison, Philip 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; Special Agent in Charge Stephen E. Vogt of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Special Agent in Charge William Winter of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Commissioner Anthony W. Batts of the Baltimore Police Department.

According to Philip’s plea agreement, during January and February 2014, Philip logged onto a website designed for video and file sharing.  On the website Philip described himself and offered to share child pornography in exchange for “hardcore” pornography involving fathers and daughters.  During that time, Philip admits that he received two emails, containing images of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct, including pre-pubescent children.  For example, on  January 29, 2014, Philip received an email containing two images depicting young toddlers subject to abuse and degradation and displayed in a lascivious manner.  Philip also sent emails with images of child pornography.  For example, on January 29, 2014, Philip sent an email which included two video files depicting young infants subjected to sadomasochistic activities.

On August 1, 2014, a search warrant was executed at Philip’s home and his cell phone was seized.  Philip admitted that he used his cell phone to access the internet in order to solicit, trade, download and view child pornography.  A forensic examination of Philip’s phone revealed 3783 digital images and videos, all of which contained visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.  Many of the images included photographs of young children who are bound/restrained and subject to physical and sexual abuse.

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, HSI Baltimore and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers, who prosecuted the case.