JACKSONVILLE, FL—United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the return of an indictment charging Kyle Adam Kirby (age 35, Live Oak) with possession of child pornography. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison, and a potential life term of supervised release. Kirby was arrested on October 28, 2015, at the Live Oak Police Department. His trial is scheduled to begin on January 4, 2016; Kirby is being detained pending trial.

According to court documents, FBI agents and other law enforcement officers executed a federal search warrant at Kirby’s residence as the result of an online child pornography investigation. That same morning, the Live Oak police chief authorized the agents to inspect and search the computer located inside Kirby’s patrol car. A forensic examination of the patrol car computer used by Kirby revealed that it contained at least 87 thumbnail images in a “Downloads” folder that either depicted minor children engaged in sexually explicit conduct, including one involving a toddler, or that had titles indicative of child pornography. In addition, the Internet browser history on the computer contained search terms commonly used by individuals who search for child pornography online.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.

It is another case 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, 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.