Brooksville Man Pleads Guilty to Transporting Child Pornography

TAMPA, FL—Acting United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Paul Thorpe (43, Brooksville) today pleaded guilty to transportation of child pornography. Thorpe faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years and a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has been set for October 24, 2013.

According to the plea agreement, an undercover agent downloaded 33 images and a video from an IP address connected to Thorpe. On January 31, 2013, law enforcement seized Thorpe’s computer pursuant to a federal search warrant. An examination of the computer revealed that it contained 155 images of child pornography. Thorpe confessed to possessing, receiving, and transporting child pornography.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer L. Peresie.

It is another case 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.