LAFAYETTE, La. – A Lafayette federal jury delivered a damning verdict today, finding David Lee Fail, 43, formerly of Abbeville, Louisiana, guilty on charges of transporting and possessing abhorrent child pornography. The conviction signals another blow in the ongoing federal fight against the exploitation of children, announced Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook.
The case unfolded after investigators traced illicit uploads to a popular cloud-based storage platform in 2021. According to court documents, Fail brazenly uploaded pornographic images depicting prepubescent children. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) flagged the activity with a cybertip, pinpointing the source to a specific IP address linked to the sickening content.
Louisiana Bureau of Investigation agents, alongside Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) federal agents, quickly zeroed in on Fail. Disturbingly, the investigation revealed this wasn’t his first offense. Records showed Fail had two prior convictions for similar child exploitation crimes, demonstrating a pattern of depraved behavior. The online storage account was registered in his name in Abbeville but had been disabled, prompting Fail to flee to the Denver, Colorado area in an attempt to evade justice.
But agents weren’t deterred. They secured search warrants for Fail’s accounts, uncovering a cache of over 150 images depicting child sexual abuse material. The content was particularly disturbing, with many images showing prepubescent females alongside adult males. The sheer volume of material paints a grim picture of Fail’s deliberate and prolonged engagement with this horrific content.
Fail now faces a substantial prison sentence. He could receive up to 40 years behind bars for the transportation of child pornography conviction and an additional 20 years for the possession charge. A fine of up to $250,000 also looms. Sentencing is currently scheduled for December 9, 2025, giving him ample time to contemplate the gravity of his actions.
Assistant United States Attorneys Craig R. Bordelon and J. Luke Walker skillfully prosecuted the case. If you have information regarding the possession, distribution, or production of child pornography, it’s crucial to report it. Remember, viewing these images perpetuates the abuse and revictimizes the children involved. Report incidents to NCMEC at https://report.cybertip.org or call 1-800-843-5678. In 2023 alone, NCMEC received a staggering 36 million reports of such material.
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Key Facts
- State: Louisiana
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes|Cybercrime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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