David Renz, Child Pornography, New York 2013

Syracuse, New York - In a shocking turn of events, 29-year-old David J. Renz of North Syracuse has pleaded guilty to child pornography offenses, announced United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian.

According to court records, Renz admitted to downloading and storing over 500 video files and 3,000 image files depicting child pornography on his computer, which was seized by FBI agents in January 2013.

The defendant also pleaded guilty to five counts of possession of child pornography related to images and videos he possessed on DVDs and a CD seized from his residence on the date of his arrest.

By his plea, Renz faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years in federal prison, a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, for the charge of receiving child pornography, and a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years on each of the possession charges.

Renz also faces fines of up to $250,000 on each count and mandatory supervised release of no less than 5 years and up to life following any term of incarceration.

Notably, conviction of the charged offenses will require Renz to register as a sex offender. Sentencing is scheduled for February 10, 2014.

The federal prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa Fletcher, who can be reached at 448-0672.

The arrest was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation as a part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse.

In a statement, the U.S. Attorney's Office said, 'Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.'

Renz's arrest and subsequent guilty plea serve as a stark reminder of the dangers of child pornography and the importance of protecting our children from online exploitation.

In related news, the U.S. Attorney's Office is urging anyone with information regarding child exploitation to come forward and report it to the authorities.

Renz's case highlights the need for continued vigilance and cooperation in the fight against child pornography.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndny/pr/david-renz-pleads-guilty-child-pornography-offenses