Conway Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Production of Child Pornography

LITTLE ROCK—Christopher R. Thyer, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, and Special Agent in Charge Diane Upchurch, of the Little Rock Field Office for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), announced today that Nicholas Tensley, age 29, of Conway, Arkansas, was sentenced to 25 years imprisonment for production of child pornography.

Nicholas Tensley was indicted on May 6, 2015, with one count of production of child pornography and one count of distribution of child pornography. On October 9, 2015, Tensley pled guilty to production of child pornography. On Tuesday, Tensley was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Brian S. Miller to 25 years imprisonment, and ten years of supervised release.

"All too often some people argue that the downloading of child pornography from the internet is a ‘victimless’ crime. Nothing could be further from the truth." Thyer said. "As a matter of fact this case clearly demonstrates that as long as there is a market for individuals who would download child pornography, there will be individuals like Tensley who will sexually abuse other children so that they can then trade or sell those images of abuse with like-minded people." Thyer went on to say, "The sexual exploitation of a four-year-old child in the care of a trusted individual is despicable and sickening in and of itself. However, this child—along with thousands of others like her—will be victimized over and over again as sexual deviants download and view the images of her abuse from the internet. "

The charges in the Indictment were based upon an investigation that began in March 2015 when an undercover police officer (UC) with the FBI and the District of Columbia Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Child Exploitation Task Force posted an advertisement in an area of a website site frequented by individuals who have a sexual interest in children and incest.

On April 14, 2015, Nicholas Tensley answered the UC’s advertisement stating, "I just moved to the area and looking for like minded people. Im 5’10" 28 blk male." The UC responded, "Sweet DC hereinto yng incest, etc…You a dad?" Tensley responded and stated he had two female children, ages six and ten. After a brief email exchange, Tensley provided his KIK screen name. During the communications with the UC, Tensley sent two images of child pornography and indicated they were pictures of his daughters.

On April 14, 2015, Tensley stated he had engaged in vaginal intercourse with his daughter as recently as two weeks prior to the messaging conversation and had performed oral sex with her more recently. On April 15, 2015, during a chat with the UC on KIK, Tensley sent seven images of his purported daughter. Several of the images contained sexually explicit images of a prepubescent female.

On April 16, 2015, members of the Little Rock Division of the FBI located and arrested Tensley. Tensley was advised of his Miranda rights and confessed to distribution of the pictures in his conversation with the UC. Tensley provided written consent to search his Samsung S-4 Galaxy telephone and showed agents the conversation in his KIK application. Tensley initially denied taking the photographs; however, he later admitted to taking the photographs using his Samsung Galaxy S-4 telephone in the Fred’s Store parking lot in Star City, Arkansas. The victim was identified by Tensley as a four-year-old female. Tensley does not have any minor daughters but was left to babysit the minor female. Tensley further stated he had deleted the images from his telephone after communicating with the UC because he became nervous he might be speaking with law enforcement officials.

"The production of pornography involving children is an affront to our communities. The sentencing today reflects our disgust at the actions of Tensley," stated Special Agent In Charge Diane Upchurch with the FBI in Little Rock. "We appreciate the efforts of the United States Attorney’s Office, the Conway Police Department, and the District of Columbia Metropolitan Police Department in this case, and will continue to work with all of our partners to identify these predators and their victims."

The investigation was conducted by the Little Rock Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)/MPD Child Exploitation Task Force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kristin Bryant.