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Press Release

Convicted Sex Offender From North Port Sentenced To 14 Years For Transportation Of Child Pornography

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Middle District of Florida

Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell has sentenced Alexander Vugler (45, North Port) to 14 years in federal prison for transportation of child pornography. He also was ordered to serve a life term of supervision following his release from prison. In addition, the Court forfeited a laptop computer, hard drive, wireless air card, and a cell phone, that had been used to commit the offense. A restitution hearing to determine compensation for the victims will be set for a later date. Vugler pleaded guilty on September 19, 2014.

According to court documents, in May 2009, an undercover FBI agent in San Diego downloaded 188 files depicting child pornography that Vugler had made available on an Internet peer-to-peer file sharing program. At the time, Vugler was on probation for a contact sex offense that had occurred in Broward County. A federal search warrant was executed at Vugler’s North Port residence. Agents seized a laptop computer and a hard drive that contained more than 1,000 images and videos depicting child pornography, as well as file-cleaning software that Vugler had used to destroy evidence of child pornography.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Josephine W. Thomas.

This 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 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 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.projectsafechildhood.gov.

Updated January 26, 2015