COLUMBUS -- A convicted sex offender pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography Thursday.
NBC 4 reported with the FAST FACTS.
All of the following information came from an official release from the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio.
Larry E. Messer, 33, of Columbus pleaded guilty in United States District Court to one count of possession of child pornography for possessing seven digital images and 69 digital movies of prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit activity.
Franklin County Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force members were engaged in an Internet investigation involving the sharing of child pornography via Internet file-sharing programs in July 2009.
On several occasions, they observed a user of one file-sharing program sharing files that appeared to be child pornography.
Members traced the IP address to a computer at Messer’s Columbus residence.
Task force officers obtained a search warrant for Messer’s residence and interviewed Messer.
According to a statement of facts read into court, Messer said he had accidentally downloaded child pornography but admitted that at the time of the search warrant he knew the child pornography files were on his computer.
Forensic analysis revealed the existence of seven images and 69 videos, many of which depicted adult males performing sex acts on prepubescent children.
Messer faced a sentence of at least 10 years and up to 20 years imprisonment for possession of child pornography.
Messer was convicted in Franklin County Common Pleas Court of rape in 2002.
A conviction for a sex crime can be used to enhance the sentence of a child-pornography offense under federal law.
Task force officers arrested Messer July 29, 2009. He has been in custody since his arrest.
Judge Frost will set a date for Messer’s sentencing.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit http://www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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