FOR FURTHERINFORMATION CONTACT

AUSA VICKIE E. LEDUC or

MARCIA MURPHY at 410-209-4885  
JANUARY 11, 2008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                  

http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/md                                       

MCHENRY MAN SENTENCED TO 8 YEARS FOR RECEIVING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY VIA THE INTERNET

Baltimore, Maryland - U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced John Ray Manning, age 28, of McHenry, Maryland, today to eight years in prison followed by 20 years of supervised release for receipt of child pornography, announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein.

According to his plea agreement, Manning used a friend’s computer to download over 2,000 images and approximately 75 videos containing child pornography from October 2005 to September 2006. A large number of images depicted prepubescent females, and there were also images depicting bondage. Manning also used the computer to trade child pornography through file sharing programs. When interviewed by investigators on May 10, 2007 , Manning admitted to receiving child pornography through the Internet, primarily through file sharing programs.

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.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Garrett County Sheriff’s Office and the Maryland State Police Computer Forensics Lab for their investigative work. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Bonnie S. Greenberg, who prosecuted the case.