LINCOLN, Neb. — Appearing Particular Agent in Cost of Homeland Safety Investigations (HSI) Kansas Metropolis Taekuk Cho and United States Legal professional Steven Russell introduced that United States District Courtroom Choose John M. Gerrard sentenced Aaron Joseph Kearney, 50, of Lincoln, to 13 years imprisonment for possession of kid pornography on Jan. 20. The sentence follows a Homeland Safety Investigations (HSI) probe. When he completes his jail sentence, Kearney will serve 10 years on supervised launch. There isn’t any parole within the federal system. The decide additionally ordered Kearney to pay $3,000 in restitution to a sufferer and $5,000 in particular assessments. Kearney pleaded responsible to the offense on Oct. 6.
Brokers with the Division of Homeland Safety in Phoenix, Arizona, uncovered Kearney’s involvement after they investigated the receipt of kid pornography on an immediate messaging platform. They obtained details about Kearney’s and different accounts exchanging baby pornography materials with the topic account in Phoenix. One of many accounts, which they later found belonged to Kearney, posted messages on Aug. 26, 2021, requesting baby pornography materials. Three days later, Kearney’s account posted six movies depicting minors engaged in sexually specific conduct. Three of the movies concerned prepubescent youngsters.
After tracing that account again to Kearney, brokers with HSI in Nebraska obtained a search warrant for Kearney’s residence in Lincoln. Authorities executed the warrant on Jan. 27, 2022, and seized Kearney’s cellphone. Kearney was residence on the time, and brokers interviewed him. Kearney confessed that the account in query was his and that he had used that account to hunt baby pornography.
Officers later examined Kearney’s telephone, which contained two movies depicting minors engaged in sexually specific conduct. Investigators additionally found three purposes used to scrub and delete recordsdata from cellular units.
One of many components the district courtroom thought of in Kearney’s sentencing was that he was beforehand convicted on April 7, 2008, in america District Courtroom for the District of Nebraska, of possession of kid pornography.
The investigation was carried out by HSI and this case was introduced as a part of Challenge Secure Childhood, a nationwide initiative to fight the rising epidemic of kid sexual exploitation and abuse launched in Could 2006 by the Division of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Places of work and the Legal Division’s Baby Exploitation and Obscenity Part, Challenge Secure Childhood marshals federal, state and native sources to raised find, apprehend and prosecute people who exploit youngsters by way of the Web, in addition to to determine and rescue victims. For extra details about Challenge Secure Childhood, please go to www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
HSI is the principal investigative arm of the U.S. Division of Homeland Safety (DHS), answerable for investigating transnational crime and threats, particularly these prison organizations that exploit the worldwide infrastructure via which worldwide commerce, journey, and finance transfer. HSI’s workforce of greater than 8,700 staff consists of greater than 6,000 particular brokers assigned to 237 cities all through america, and 93 abroad places in 56 international locations. HSI’s worldwide presence represents DHS’s largest investigative legislation enforcement presence overseas and one of many largest worldwide footprints in U.S. legislation enforcement.
Study extra about HSI’s mission to fight baby exploitation in our group on Twitter @HSIKansasCity.
