Former School Counselor and Former Navy Enlisted Man Sentenced for Child Pornography Offenses

United States Attorney Laura E. Duffy announced the sentencing of two defendants in two separate cases today in federal court in San Diego based upon their convictions for child pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252(a).

In the first case, Thomas Henry Ceglarek, a former elementary school counselor with the San Diego Unified School District, was sentenced by United States District Judge M. James Lorenz to serve 46 months in prison based on his previous guilty pleas to two counts of possession of child pornography and one count of perjury. Judge Lorenz also ordered the defendant to serve 15 years of supervised release, pay a $5,000 fine, and register as a sex offender. According to court documents, Ceglarek pled guilty in March 2011 to possessing two computers containing images of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. He further admitted that on October 21, 2010, he signed and submitted a financial affidavit to the court in order to obtain an attorney appointment at the government’s expense but falsely claimed that he: (1) was not employed and had not been employed since 2007, and (2) had not received any income during the previous 12 months, when in truth and in fact, he was still employed by the San Diego County Unified School District and making approximately $70,000/per year.

This case stems from an investigation by the San Diego Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), whose members include Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the San Diego Police Department, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, the Chula Vista Police Department, the United States Attorney’s Office, the San Diego District Attorney’s Office, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), the United States Marshals Service, the Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the National City Police Department, the La Mesa Police Department, the Oceanside Police Department, the El Cajon Police Department, the San Diego State University Police Department, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, and the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office. To learn more about ICAC San Diego and access helpful information about potential risks and safety measures available for families, please visit www.sdicac.org.

In the second case, Joe Valencia Gonzales, II was sentenced by United States District Court Michael M. Anello to serve 72 months in prison and 15 years of supervised release following his release from prison; Judge Anello also required Gonzales to register as a sex offender. Gonzales pled guilty in January 2011 to distribution of images of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. At the time of his arrest, Gonzales was sitting in his car at a fast-food restaurant that provides wireless Internet access to the public. Gonzales was enlisted in the United States Navy. This case stems from an investigation by the FBI, assisted by NCIS and ICAC.

These cases are being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

Case Number: 10cr4081L
Thomas Henry Ceglarek

SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252(a) (Possession of Images of Minors Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct)
Title 18, United States Code, Section 1621 (Perjury)

AGENCIES
Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC)
Case Number 10cr4854-MMA
Joe Valencia Gonzales, III

SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252(a)(2) (Distribution of Images of Minors Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct)

AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Naval Criminal Investigative Service
Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force