Orlando Man Sentenced to 22 Years in Federal Prison for Distribution of Child Pornography

ORLANDO, FL—U.S. Attorney Robert E. O'Neill announces that U.S. District Judge John Antoon II today sentenced Jerry A. Nickelsen (46, Orlando) to 22 years in federal prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, for distributing and possessing child pornography. The court also ordered Nickelsen to forfeit two computers, a flash drive, and numerous DVDs and CDs that he used to distribute child pornography or contained child pornography. Nickelsen had pled guilty on August 30, 2010.

According to court documents, on May 13, 2010, Nickelsen used a peer-to-peer file sharing program to distribute images and videos of child pornography to an undercover FBI agent (UC). The UC downloaded 13 pictures and videos of child pornography from Nickelsen, including images which showed the sexual torture of children younger than 12 years old.

On June 4, 2010, agents executed a federal search warrant at Nickelsen’ home and seized two computers, a flash drive, and numerous DVDs and CDs which contained child pornography. Agents located more than 9,000 pictures and 1,400 hundred videos of child pornography. Many of the images and videos depicted sadistic conduct, including the molestation and sexual abuse of very young boys and infants. The agents interviewed Nickelsen, who admitted to distributing and possessing child pornography for several years. He also admitted that during the last 20 years, he had molested nine boys, ranging from ages 5 to 13 years old.

The case 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 (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Karen L. Gable.