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Prosecutions in Baton Rouge, Louisiana Under the Project Safe Childhood Initiative

U.S. Attorney’s Office January 08, 2009
  • Eastern District of Louisiana (504) 680-3000

BATON ROUGE, LA—United States Attorney David R. Dugas announced today the latest results of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. In Louisiana, this effort is enhanced by the Louisiana Cybercrimes Task Force led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and by the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force led by the Louisiana Attorney General’s office and funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice. The combined efforts of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Louisiana, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Louisiana Cybercrimes Task Force, the ICAC Task Force, the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Louisiana State Police and other state and local partners have resulted in successful federal prosecutions involving seven (7) individuals on charges of producing, possessing, receiving, and distributing child pornography.

I. THOMAS FIFE CONVICTED

On January 8, 2009, THOMAS FIFE, age 62, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, pled guilty to possession of child pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252(a)(4). During his guilty plea, FIFE admitted to being employed with the Louisiana State University Police Department and possessing child pornography at his assigned location at the LSU South Campus Building on GSRI Road in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. FIFE also admitted that his offense involved at least ten but fewer than 40 images of child pornography and that some of those images involved children under the age of 12. As a result of his guilty plea, FIFE faces a term of imprisonment of not more than ten years, a $250,000 fine, or both. FIFE faces supervised release after imprisonment of not less than five years and not more than life.

II. PAUL RUIZ CONVICTED

On June 16, 2008, PAUL RUIZ, age 49, of Denham Springs, Louisiana, a former Baton Rouge Police officer, pled guilty to distribution of child pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252(a)(2). During his guilty plea, RUIZ admitted to distributing and possessing child pornography via the Internet. RUIZ also admitted that his offense involved both images and videos of child pornography and that some of those involved children under the age of 12. As a result of his guilty plea, RUIZ faces a term of imprisonment of not less than five but not more than twenty years, a $250,000 fine, or both. RUIZ faces supervised release after imprisonment of not less than five years and not more than life.

III. LANCE EARL WILLCUTT CONVICTED

On June 19, 2008, LANCE EARL WILLCUTT, age 34, of Zachary, Louisiana, pled guilty to two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2251(a). During his guilty plea, WILLCUTT admitted to producing images of a female under the age of 18 years engaging in sexually explicit conduct on two separate occasions. As a result of his guilty pleas, WILLCUTT faces a term of imprisonment of not less than 15 and not more than 60 years, a $250,000 fine, or both. WILLCUTT faces supervised release after imprisonment of not less than five years and not more than life.

IV. SCOTT THOMAS EHRET CONVICTED

On June 30, 2008, SCOTT THOMAS EHRET, age 44, of Amite, Louisiana, pled guilty to possession of child pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252(a)(4). During his guilty plea, EHRET admitted to possessing child pornography at his residence. EHRET also admitted that 137 of the images he possessed involved victims that had been previously identified by law enforcement and that some of the child pornography he possessed involved children under the age of 12. As a result of his guilty plea, EHRET faces a term of imprisonment of not more than ten years, a $250,000 fine, or both. EHRET faces supervised release after imprisonment of not less than five years and not more than life. EHRET is scheduled to be sentenced on February 12, 2009.

V. DAVID NORMAN CONVICTED

On September 30, 2008, DAVID NORMAN, age 40, of Denham Springs, Louisiana, pled guilty to receiving child pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252(a)(2). During his guilty plea, NORMAN admitted to receiving and distributing child pornography via the Internet. NORMAN also admitted to possessing over 600 images of child pornography, some of which involved children under the age of 12. As a result of his guilty plea, NORMAN faces a term of imprisonment of not less than five but not more than 20 years, a $250,000 fine, or both. NORMAN faces supervised release after imprisonment of not less than five years and not more than life.

VI. ALAN BEVERS SENTENCED

On June 26, 2008, ALAN D. BEVERS, age 52, of St. Francisville, Louisiana, was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Frank J. Polozola to 35 years’ imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release for producing child pornography. BEVERS pled guilty on September 12, 2007, to an indictment charging him with two counts of sexual exploitation of children, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2251. The indictment charged that BEVERS produced child pornography on two separate occasions involving a 13-year-old female and an 8-year-old female. In addition to the 35-year prison term and the five years of supervised release, Judge Polozola ordered that this federal sentence be served consecutive to a seven-year sentence BEVERS is currently serving based on charges in Pennsylvania State Court.

VII. GEORGE MARKS SENTENCED

On October 15, 2008, GEORGE S. MARKS, III, age 53, of Durant, Mississippi, was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Frank J. Polozola to 108 months’ imprisonment followed by ten years supervised release for possessing child pornography. MARKS pled guilty on December 18, 2007, to possessing child pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252(a)(4). During his guilty plea, MARKS admitted to possessing hundreds of images of child pornography involving prepubescent children while traveling on the Mississippi River as a river boat pilot.

VIII. CONCLUSION

Our District’s implementation of Project Safe Childhood has involved many federal, state, and local agencies, including the FBI; Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE); the Louisiana State Police; the Louisiana State University Police Department; the Baton Rouge City Police Department; the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office; the Zachary Police Department; the West Feliciana Parish Sheriff’s Office; the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office; the Offices of the District Attorney for the 19th and 20th Judicial Districts; the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office; and the London County, Pennsylvania, Sheriff’s Office. These cases are being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Richard L. Bourgeois and Deputy Criminal Chief Corey R. Amundson who serves as this District’s Project Safe Childhood Coordinator.

U.S. Attorney Dugas stated: “The Attorney General has made the protection of our children a top priority of the Department of Justice and our office will continue to work tirelessly with our federal, state, and local partners to combat the evil of child pornography.”

For further information, contact David R. Dugas, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Louisiana, or Lyman Thornton, First Assistant U.S. Attorney, at (225) 389-0443. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

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