Kentucky Man Pleads Guilty in Connection with Large International Child Pornography Investigation

COVINGTON, KY—A Florence, Kentucky man who was targeted in a large international child pornography investigation pleaded guilty today to distribution of child pornography.

Gary A. Thomas, 38, waived his right to be indicted by a federal grand jury and pleaded guilty to an information before United States District Judge David L. Bunning.

Thomas admitted that he sent and received child pornography over the Internet for the last several years. Thomas’ criminal actions were discovered during an international investigation into individuals who ordered child pornography overseas via the Internet.

Thomas also admitted that he sent and received more than 600 images and that some of the images included pictures of children under the age of 12 and some were sadistic in nature.

The large-scale investigation involved several agencies across the country and the world. The investigation into Thomas was spearheaded by the Boone County Sheriff’s Office with help from the FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The United States was represented in the case by the Fort Mitchell Branch Office of the United States Attorney.

E.J.Walbourn, United States Attorney; Michael Helmig, Boone County Sheriff; Elizabeth Fries, FBI Special Agent in Charge; and Robin Dangleish, Postal Inspector in Charge, jointly made the announcement today after Thomas entered his guilty plea.

Thomas is currently scheduled to appear for sentencing in United States District Court in Covington, Kentucky on July 1, 2010. Thomas faces a minimum sentence of five years’ imprisonment and a maximum of 20. He will be required to register as a sex offender for life, and when released from prison, will be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office.

However, any sentence would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing sentences.