A Novato man has been handed a lengthy prison sentence for his role in a child pornography case. David Andrew Nielsen, 54, of Novato, Calif., was sentenced to 84 months in prison for possessing child pornography.
According to court documents, Nielsen admitted to possessing over 600 images and videos of child pornography, including images of minors younger than 12 years old and portrayals of the sexual abuse or exploitation of an infant or toddler.
The case against Nielsen began in August 2017, when a federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment charging him with possession of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(4)(B).
Nielsen pleaded guilty to the charge on February 2, 2018. In determining the applicable calculation under the United States Sentencing Guidelines, Judge Susan Illston found that an enhancement should be imposed because the defendant engaged in a pattern of activity involving the sexual abuse or exploitation of a minor.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Illston ordered Nielsen to serve a 7-year period of supervised release following his custodial sentence. As part of his release conditions, Nielsen must register as a sex offender and participate in sex offender-specific treatment.
Nielsen has been in custody since his arrest in August 2017, and he will begin serving the sentence immediately. The investigation into Nielsen’s activities was a collaborative effort between ICE, the Novato Police Department, the Concord Police Department, and the Silicon Valley Internet Crimes Against Children task force.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Key Facts
- State: California
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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