June 27, 2014

Former Lubbock Resident Admits Possessing Child Pornography Involving Image of Prepubescent Male

LUBBOCK, TX—A former resident of Lubbock, Texas, appeared today before U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings and pleaded guilty to a felony child pornography offense, announced U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña of the Northern District of Texas.

Jeremy Daniel Labrec, 23, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in federal prison, a lifetime of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Judge Cummings ordered a presentence investigation report with a sentencing date to be set after the completion of that report.

Labrec, who is in custody, admitted that while he lived in Lubbock, he used his cell phone to take a sexually explicit photograph of a prepubescent minor. He further admitted sending that image, via Skype, to an acquaintance who shared his interest in child pornography depicting prepubescent minor males.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative, which was launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/ and click on the tab “resources.”

The FBI investigated and Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven M. Sucsy is prosecuting.