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Huntsville Man Sentenced to More Than 17 Years on Child Pornography Charges

U.S. Attorney’s Office November 09, 2009
  • Northern District of Alabama (205) 244-2001

HUNTSVILLE—U.S. District Judge R. David Proctor today sentenced REUBEN EUGENE FERGUSON to 17 ½ years in prison for possessing, receiving and transporting child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Joyce White Vance and FBI Special Agent in Charge Patrick Maley.

Ferguson, 65, of Huntsville, had downloaded thousands of images of child pornography from the Internet and also had uploaded such images, according to court documents. The number and variety of the images were factors which the judge considered in fashioning his sentence in the case. The judge also noted that the actions of individuals who obtain, provide and trade in these images drives a market that results in the images being created.

Judge Proctor ordered Ferguson immediately taken into custody following the hearing. He fined Ferguson $20,000, ordered him to forfeit the computer he used to send and receive images of child pornography and directed he remain on supervised release for the rest of his life after completing his prison sentence.

Ferguson pleaded guilty to the charges in July.

“Children are horribly victimized when these type of images are made, then they are victimized again and again each time those images are viewed, sold or shared,” Vance said. “We will pursue every opportunity to prosecute individuals who keep such a vile industry alive.”

The case was investigated by special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell Penfield.

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