Twice Convicted Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Receiving Child Pornography While on Federal Probation for Prior Sex Offense

GREENBELT, MD—Larry Poole, age 50, of Laurel, Maryland pleaded guilty to receipt of child pornography.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Chief Richard McLaughlin of the Laurel Police Department; and Special Agent in Charge Stephen E. Vogt of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

According to his plea agreement, on June 11, 2012, the Child Protective Services (CPS) received a report that Poole was sending text messages claiming to be molesting an unidentified 9-year-old girl. CPS referred the matter to the Laurel Police Department, who were not able to locate any child in Poole’s neighborhood matching the description used by Poole in his texts.

The Laurel Police subsequently learned that Poole was on federal probation and was registered as a sex offender based on two prior convictions: in 2003, of child abuse in Baltimore County Circuit Court; and in 2006, of attempting to entice a minor to engage in sex and possession of child pornography in federal court for the District of Columbia.

Laurel Police alerted Poole’s federal probation officer, who conducted a surprise visit to Poole’s residence on June 25, 2012. Poole consented to a preview of his cell phone, and the probation officer discovered videos and images of child pornography. Poole admitted that an individual brought child pornography to Poole’s home the previous day on a thumb drive or SD card and helped Poole load pornographic images of girls under 14 years old onto Poole’s computer and cell phone.

Laurel Police and the FBI executed a search warrant, seized Poole’s cell phone and computer, and discovered approximately six videos and 120 images of child pornography.

As part of his plea agreement, Poole must register as a sex offender in the place where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).

Poole and the government have agreed that if the court accepts the plea agreement, Poole will be sentenced to 15 years in prison. Chief U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow scheduled sentencing for June 24, 2013, at 10:00 a.m.

MCETF partners with the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, formed in 2007 to discover and rescue victims of human trafficking while identifying and prosecuting offenders. Members include federal, state, and local law enforcement, as well as victim service providers and local community members. For more information about the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, please visit ww.justice.gov/usao/md/Human‑Trafficking/index.html.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the Laurel Police Department and FBI for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristi N. O’Malley, who prosecuted the case.