FEDERAL JURY CONVICTS MAN OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY OFFENSES

LAS VEGAS - - Following a four-day federal jury trial, a Las Vegas man was convicted today of possession, receipt, transportation, and distribution of child pornography over the Internet, announced Greg Brower, United States Attorney for the District of Nevada.

Robert Myron Latham, 58, of Las Vegas, was found guilty of one count of Notice to Distribute Child Pornography, one count of Transporting Child Pornography, one count of Receipt of Child Pornography, and one count of Possession of Child Pornography.

“Those who share and distribute pornographic images of children over the Internet will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of federal law,” said U.S. Attorney Brower. “This Office’s recent success with trying such cases proves that our community will not tolerate the victimization of children. These are horrific crimes with real victims, and prosecuting the perpetrators will continue to be a priority for the Office.”

The case grew out of an investigation aimed at identifying persons sharing child pornography over the Internet via file sharing networks. Such networks allow users to search for and share various types of computer files, including movies, videos and pictures. In February 2005, FBI investigators who were using one of these file sharing networks to search for individuals who were posting and sharing child pornography, found hundreds of files indicative of child pornography stored in a folder of a computer belonging to Robert Latham who was residing in Las Vegas. Many of the images were saved in well-organized folders labeled by name or category and depicted prepubescent children, and sadistic and masochistic images. None of the child pornography was produced in Nevada.

Latham is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Lloyd D. George on December 17, 2008 , at 9:00 a.m. He faces the following minimum mandatory penalties of imprisonment because he has a prior conviction in Alaska for Sexual Abuse of a Minor:

Notice to Distribute Child Pornography: 25 years to 50 years in prison;
Transporting Child Pornography: 15 years to 40 years in prison;
Receipt of Child Pornography: 15 years to 40 years in prison;
Possession of Child Pornography: 10 years to 20 years in prison.

He also faces a fine of up to $250,000 on each count.

The case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Nancy J. Koppe and Rob Ellman.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.

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