Florida Man Pleads Guilty To Possession Of Child Pornography

     WASHINGTON – David Mario Riley, 38, of Tampa, Fla., pled guilty today to a federal charge of possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr., Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

     Riley entered the guilty plea in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The Honorable Christopher R. Cooper is to sentence him on Oct. 1, 2014.  Riley faces a maximum sentence of 20 years of imprisonment and a fine of $250,000.

     According to the government's evidence, on Dec. 10, 2013, Riley contacted an undercover officer with the FBI's Child Exploitation Task Force, who had posted an ad on a social network site.  Over the next few days, Riley engaged in e-mail and instant message conversations with the undercover officer about child pornography and a shared sexual interest in children. During their communications, Riley sent the undercover officer eight still images of child pornography. 

     Pursuant to a search of various electronic equipment in Riley’s hotel room in Crystal City, Va., law enforcement recovered about 14 videos and 40 still images of child pornography.

     This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative and investigated by the FBI's Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of the FBI's Washington Field Office and MPD.  In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse.  Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, 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.

     In announcing the guilty plea, U.S. Attorney Machen, Assistant Director Parlave and Chief Lanier praised the work of the MPD Detectives and Special Agents of the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force. They also commended the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Ari Redbord, who is prosecuting the case.