Hamilton Man Sentenced to 16 Months’ Imprisonment for Downloading Child Pornography on Church Computer

CINCINNATI—Albert Jefferson Stone, age 29, of Hamilton, was sentenced in United States District Court here today to 16 months' imprisonment, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for possessing 33 images of child pornography that he downloaded onto a church computer.

Carter M. Stewart, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Keith L. Bennett, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Cincinnati Field Division (FBI) announced the sentence handed down today by Chief U.S. District Judge Susan J. Dlott.

On February 19, 2008, an undercover agent with the FBI field office in New Orleans discovered images of child pornography via peer-to-peer software from an IP address assigned to a church in Hamilton, Ohio. Also, on February 25, 2008, the same undercover agent with FBI, New Orleans, as well as an undercover agent with FBI, Houston, discovered additional images of child pornography from the same IP address.

FBI agents in Cincinnati went to the church on April 29, 2008. The pastor of the church permitted agents to retrieve and perform searches of the computers. The initial search of one of the computers indicated the presence of file names consistent with child pornography images.

Agents were permitted to take the computer for further analysis. Forensic analysis of the church computer identified 33 images of child pornography.

Stone pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography on March 10, 2009.

Judge Dlott recommended that Stone be placed in a federal prison that offers a sex offender treatment program. Federal law also requires Stone to register as a sex offender in any jurisdiction where he lives, works or goes to school after he serves his prison term.

Stewart commended the FBI agents who conducted the investigation, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy Muncy, who prosecuted the case.