Edsel Scafidel Jr., Child Pornography, Louisiana 2021

A Ponchatoula man has been sentenced to 72 months imprisonment for receiving child sexual abuse material.

Edsel Scafidel Jr., age 62, was sentenced by United States District Judge Eldon E. Fallon after previously pleading guilty as charged to an Indictment charging him with receiving images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation of children, including children as young as approximately one (1) year old, in violation of Title 18 United States Code, Section 2252(a)(2).

The crime was reported in November 2018, when a complainant knowledgeable with Scafidel's actions reported to Special Agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation that Scafidel possessed electronic storage devices that contained files depicting the sexual exploitation of children.

After further investigation, the FBI executed a search warrant at Scafidel's residence in Ponchatoula, Louisiana on December 4, 2018.

During the execution of the search warrant, Scafidel possessed a leather pouch that contained, among other items, two electronic storage devices that contained files depicting the sexual exploitation of children.

Subsequent forensic analysis determined that Scafidel used computers and external hard drives to search for, download, and store child pornography. In total, Scafidel downloaded and saved at least 22,334 images depicting the sexual victimization of children, including children less than one year old.

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

U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with support from the Louisiana State Police.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edla/pr/ponchatoula-man-sentenced-72-months-imprisonment-receiving-child-sexual-abuse-material