Cameron Dean Bates, Child Pornography, Florida 2012

A 20-year prison sentence has been handed down to a St. Lucie County resident for his involvement in a child pornography operation.

Cameron Dean Bates, 46, of Port Saint Lucie, was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment, followed by 15 years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore.

The charges stem from an investigation by the South Florida Internet Crimes against Children (ICAC) Task Force and the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office (SLCSO), which began in March 2011.

Using Peer-to-Peer (P2P) software, detectives discovered that Bates had downloaded and shared child pornography files between December 2010 and June 19, 2012, from multiple IP addresses linked to him in both St. Lucie and Palm Beach counties.

On June 29, 2012, a search warrant was executed at Bates’ residence in Port Saint Lucie, and a Dell laptop was seized. A forensic analysis of the laptop revealed numerous images and videos of child pornography, including a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carmen Lineberger and A. Marie Villafana, who commended the investigative efforts of the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office and HSI for their assistance and work on this case.

The case is a reminder of the ongoing efforts to combat child exploitation and the importance of vigilance in protecting our children from predators.

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