David Blackmer, Distributing and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material, Florida 2023

St. Petersburg Man Sentenced to 7 Years in Prison for Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Material

A 34-year-old St. Petersburg man has been sentenced to 7 years in federal prison for distributing and possessing child sexual abuse material. David Blackmer was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Mary Scriven on Tuesday, February 7, 2023. The court also ordered Blackmer to register as a sex offender and pay $114,000 in restitution.

According to court documents, on September 7, 2021, Blackmer distributed child sexual abuse videos and images to an undercover computer belonging to Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) through a peer-to-peer program. Federal agents executed a search warrant at Blackmer’s residence and recovered electronic devices containing thousands of images and videos of children being sexually abused.

“This predator engaged in the collection and sharing of thousands of images and videos of children being sexually abused,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Tampa Assistant Special Agent in Charge Kristopher Pagitt. “Our HSI Tampa special agents are proud to be a part of Project Safe Childhood to combat the epidemic of people exploiting our most vulnerable.”

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel.

This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.

David Blackmer, 34, was sentenced to 7 years in federal prison for distributing and possessing child sexual abuse material. The court also ordered Blackmer to register as a sex offender and pay $114,000 in restitution. The crime occurred in St. Petersburg, Florida on September 7, 2021. Blackmer pleaded guilty on February 7, 2023. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel.

Blackmer was charged with distributing and possessing child sexual abuse material. He was sentenced to 7 years in federal prison and ordered to pay $114,000 in restitution. The case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl/pr/st-petersburg-man-sentenced-seven-years-prison-distributing-and-possessing-child