Gregory Michael McCarty, a 45-year-old man from Green Cove Springs, Florida, pleaded guilty to receiving child pornography over the internet. According to court documents, McCarty faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison, and a potential life term of supervision.
McCarty’s guilty plea is the result of a lengthy investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office. The investigation began when an agent with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement discovered that a host computer in the northeast Florida area was hosting images of child pornography using a peer-to-peer file sharing program.
During an interview with agents, McCarty acknowledged that he had been receiving child pornography for about two years, stating that he had some on his external drives ‘for a long time.’ He stated, ‘I fell into it and never got rid of it and never quit.’ McCarty further stated, ‘I know it was wrong, I just didn’t get rid of it and didn’t, didn’t stop doing whatever I was doing.’
A thorough analysis of McCarty’s computer media revealed that his laptop computer contained at least 18 images of child pornography, and at least 20 videos depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct were found on an external hard disk drive that was connected to the laptop computer.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.
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. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
The Clay County man’s guilty plea is a significant step forward in the fight against child pornography, and it serves as a reminder that law enforcement agencies will continue to work tirelessly to protect our children from exploitation.
Related Federal Cases
- Richard Daniel Lord, Receiving Child Pornography, Florida 2023 · Florida
- Michael Eugene Williams, Possession of Child Pornography, Jacksonvi… · Alaska
- Michael Ray Enzor, Child Pornography Distribution, FL 2023 · Florida
- Matthew Allen Hayes, Child Pornography Advertising, Florida 2024 · Arkansas
- Jerry Hall, Child Pornography Production, Florida 2016 · Maryland
Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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