Rowlett, Texas Man Sentenced to Six Years in Federal Prison for Possessing, Transporting, and Shipping Child Pornography
Some of the Child Pornography Images Were of Infants

DALLAS—Jesse Wrye, 23, of Rowlett, Texas, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jorge A. Solis to 72 months in prison to be followed by a term of supervised release of 10 years, announced U.S. Attorney James T. Jacks of the Northern District of Texas. Wrye pleaded guilty in April 2011 to one count of transporting and shipping child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography. Judge Solis ordered that he surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on or before August 24, 2011.

According to plea documents filed in the case, on September 30, 2010, when Wrye was interviewed at his home by FBI agents, he admitted using his personal computer and the Internet to access an online file-trading network using peer-to-peer software. Wrye stated that he possessed at least 1,000 images and 500 videos containing child pornography that he knew depicted actual children. He admitted trading his child pornography via a peer-to-peer software program in hopes of enlarging his own collection of child pornography.

A forensic examination of Wrye’s computer revealed a large collection of images and videos containing child pornography. Many of these files depicted prepubescent minors under the age of 12 being sexually assaulted, acts found by the court to contain sadistic/masochistic conduct or other depictions of violence.

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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), 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 to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov

The case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason D. Schall.