Cumberland Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Child Pornography

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Marvin J. Garbis sentenced Harold Michael Nicol, age 53, of Cumberland, Maryland, today to 10 years in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, for possessing child pornography.

According to the plea agreement, in November 2011, during an undercover internet investigation into a file sharing program, an undercover officer downloaded four files containing images of prepubescent minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct with adults.

Nicol, who was previously convicted of a sex offense in the Allegany County Circuit Court in 1997, is prohibited from possessing firearms. A search warrant was subsequently executed at Nicol’s residence in Cumberland, where computers and computer storage media were seized, along with a .270 caliber rifle and a .50 caliber muzzle loader rifle.

Forensic examination of Nicol’s computers and storage media revealed that he possessed over 400 images of child pornography.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended HSI Baltimore, the Maryland State Police, Cumberland Police Department and the Allegany County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Judson T. Mihok, who prosecuted the case.

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