Jacksonville Man Pleads Guilty To Downloading Videos And Images Of Children Being Sexually Abused

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Michael Ray King (42, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to using the internet to download and receive videos and images of children being sexually abused. King faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a potential lifetime term of supervised release. He will also be required to register as a sex offender and forfeit certain computer media. King was arrested by FBI agents on November 18, 2021. His sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.

According to court documents, in 2021, the FBI was investigating individuals who were using online networks to receive and share child sexual abuse materials. The investigation revealed that in July, August, and September 2021, King used a computer connected to the internet at his residence to access videos depicting young children being sexually abused.

On November 18, 2021, during the execution of a federal search warrant at King’s home, FBI personnel seized an external computer hard drive that was connected by a cable to a gaming computer. A forensic examination of this external drive revealed that it contained at least 250 images and at least 50 videos depicting child sexual abuse material, including young children being sexually assaulted, bestiality, and bondage. This drive also contained evidence showing dates and times that King had downloaded these child sexual abuse materials from the internet.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown. Assistant United States Attorney Mai Tran is handling the forfeiture of assets.

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 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.justice.gov/psc.