Huffman Resident Handed Nearly 18-Year Sentence for Two Child Pornography Convictions

HOUSTON—Ryan Scott Solis, 32, has been sentenced to federal prison for distributing and possessing child pornography, announced United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson. Solis, of Huffman, pleaded guilty January 25, 2013.

U.S. District Judge Melinda Harmon, who accepted the guilty plea, sentenced Solis to 210 and 120 months for the distribution and possession convictions, respectively, which will run concurrently for a total of 210 months in federal prison without parole. In handing down the sentence, Judge Harmon considered stated that this is a very, very serious crime that should be punished. Solis was further ordered to pay restitution to the victims whose images were found on his computer and will serve 10 years of post-prison supervised release. He will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.

Solis came to the attention of authorities when an undercover officer observed an IP address registered to Solis sharing incest or child rape stories and images and videos of child pornography with others online. A search warrant was later executed at his address, at which time three hard drives, one computer tower, and miscellaneous CDs/DVDs were seized. A subsequent forensic analysis of the seized items resulted in the discovery of more than 2,700 child pornography images and more than 540 child pornography videos that depicted children involved in lewd exhibitions, deviant sexual acts, and sadistic and masochistic behavior. One of the images displayed 4- to 6-year-old female victim being penetrated by an adult male.

As part of the documents in support of his plea, Solis admitted to possessing and distributing child pornography.

Solis has been in federal custody since July 13, 2012, where he will remain pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

This case, initiated and investigated by the Colorado Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, FBI, Beaumont Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations, 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.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “Resources.”

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan J. Paulson and former Special Assistant United States Attorney Demetrius Bivins.