Local Man Hammered with 600-Month Prison Sentence for Sexual Exploitation of Children and Tax Fraud
GALVESTON, Texas – A local man has been ordered to federal prison for 50 years following his conviction of sexual exploitation of children and for knowingly making a false claim in the nature of preparing and filing a false tax return, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe Martinez along with Special Agent in Charge D. Richard Goss of IRS-Criminal Investigation (CI) and Special Agent in Charge Perrye K. Turner of the FBI.
Benjamin Douglas Guidry pleaded guilty Sept. 29, 2016.
Today, U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr. handed Guidry 270 months for each count of production of child pornography in addition to another 60-months for the tax fraud. The sentences were all ordered to run consecutively for a total 600-month-term of federal imprisonment.
In handing down the sentence, Judge Hanks called Guidry the worst kind of predator and said what he did was absolutely horrific. “You solicited the trust, admiration and respect of victims and turned around and used that for your own gratification.” He also noted that if Guidry was willing to do this to children he knew and supposedly loved, he didn’t want to think about what Guidry would be willing to do those he didn’t know.
Guidry was further ordered to pay $201,454 in restitution to the IRS. He will be on supervised release for the rest of life following completion of the prison term, during which time he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the Internet. He will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
According to the plea agreement filed in the record of the case and to statements made in court, the IRS had been investigating Guidry for possible tax offenses. In May 2015, authorities executed a search warrant at Guidry’s place of business, Financial Precision Group, at which time they seized several computers and boxes of documents. Agents noticed, among other things, that several files on Guidry’s external hard drive had titles that led the IRS to believe they may contain child pornography. Authorities also noticed text messages on his cell phone that appeared to be inappropriate communications with a minor and a video of a minor.
The FBI joined the investigation and later executed a search warrant at Guidry’s residence. During that search, authorities found items present in the video on Guidry’s cell phone, including clothes worn by one of identified minor victims in the video. They also seized a cell phone and multiple computers.
Defendant: Benjamin Douglas Guidry
Criminal Charges: Production of Child Pornography, Tax Fraud
City and State: Galveston, Texas
Exact Date: September 29, 2016 (guilty plea), March 2023 (sentencing)
Sentence: 600 months (50 years) in federal prison
Dollar Amount: $201,454 in restitution to the IRS
Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Category: Sex Crimes|Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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