Winter Park Man Pleads Guilty to Distribution of Child Pornography
| U.S. Attorney’s Office April 23, 2012 |
ORLANDO—U.S. Attorney Robert E. O’Neill announces today that Andrew Taylor (23, Winter Park) pled guilty to two counts of distribution of child pornography. Taylor faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years, up to 20; a fine of $250,000; and supervised release of at least five years.
According to court documents, on January 6, 2010, an FBI agent conducted an undercover online session using a peer-to-peer file sharing program. The agent received an invitation from Taylor to share files. The agent accepted Taylor’s invitation, connected to his computer, and downloaded 117 images documenting the sexual abuse of young children.
On January 3, 2011, the same FBI agent conducted another undercover online session using a peer-to-peer file sharing program and once again received an invitation from Taylor to share files. A chat session subsequently ensued, and Taylor posted several folders containing images showing the sexual abuse of children. The agent downloaded 41 of those images.
On March 1, 2011, law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at the Taylor’s residence and interviewed him. Taylor admitted that he distributed child pornography to individuals using the peer-to-peer file-sharing program.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Karen L. Gable.
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 the 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 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.projectsafechildhood.gov. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov and click on the tab “Other Resources.”