Houston Man Sentenced to 80 Years for Child Pornography

HOUSTON – In a grim decision, U.S. District Judge Gray Miller sentenced William Lee Niver, a 49-year-old Houston resident, to 80 years in federal prison for multiple counts of child pornography. The sentence includes 360 months for the production of child pornography, 240 months for distribution, and another 120 months for possession.

Niver, who pleaded guilty on June 14, 2016, was caught after sending explicit images to an undercover agent. His computer held over 6,000 images and 1,000 videos of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct, some involving victims under the age of 12.

During the hearing, the court heard harrowing details from a victim who described being manipulated by Niver from the age of eight until she was 14. The abuse, she said, consumed her life and left deep psychological scars.

In determining the sentence, Judge Miller called this one of the saddest cases he had ever seen. ‘Instead of receiving toys, Niver gave her vibrators and showed her pornography,’ the court noted. ‘This is not just a case of child pornography; it’s about the profound harm done to young victims.’

Niver also admitted to taking explicit photographs and video of a minor female relative and sharing them with others. He will remain in custody until transferred to a federal prison facility.

The investigation was conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, and the case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative aimed at combating child sexual exploitation. For more information on Project Safe Childhood, visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.

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