David Schaefer, a 27-year-old former soldier at Fort Benning, Georgia, has been sentenced to 8 years in prison for possessing child pornography. The Honorable Clay D. Land, United States District Judge in Columbus, Georgia, handed down the sentence on March 31, 2015.
Schaefer had pleaded guilty to the charges on December 8, 2014. The investigation into Schaefer’s activities began in October 2013 when the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the United States Department of Homeland Security Investigations separately investigated the sharing of child pornography on the Ares peer-to-peer file sharing network.
Both agencies downloaded child pornography from a user on the network that was ultimately identified as Schaefer. At the time, he was an enlisted soldier in the U.S. Army stationed at Fort Benning. The U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division executed a search warrant on Schaefer’s home, resulting in a computer being seized that contained 368 videos and 27 images of suspected child pornography.
These files were subsequently submitted to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which verified that three images and 46 movies contained sexually graphic depictions of confirmed minors previously identified by law enforcement.
“Child pornography involves the exploitation of the most vulnerable members of society and robs them of both their innocence and dignity at an early age, leaving scars that last a lifetime. My office views prosecutions such as this as one of our top priorities,” said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Moore.
The case was investigated by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Army CID and U.S. Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Crawford L. Seals prosecuted the case on behalf of the Government.
Inquiries regarding the case should be directed to Pamela Lightsey, United States Attorney’s Office at 478-621-2603.
David Schaefer, the defendant, was ordered to serve 97 months (8 years) in prison for the crime of possession of child pornography.
Related Federal Cases
- Douglas Roseth, Child Pornography Production, Georgia 2015 · Georgia
- Kenneth E. Henderson, Receipt of Child Pornography, Georgia 2023 · Georgia
- Lance Lightner, Receipt of Child Pornography and Possession of Child Pornography, Georgia 2023 · Indiana
- Michael Cannon, Child Pornography Production and Distribution, Georgia 2012 · Indiana
- Henry Kamen, Child Pornography Possession, Georgia 2014 · Georgia
Key Facts
- State: Georgia
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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