Wilmington, Del. – A Delaware resident was sentenced on March 25, 2024, to 10 years in federal prison for possessing child sexual abuse material, announced David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware.
The defendant, James Pickett, 26, of Bear, Delaware, had previously been convicted in October 2019 in the State of Delaware for dealing in child sexual abuse material and served two years in prison.
According to court documents, a task force consisting of Homeland Security Investigations, the Delaware State Police, and Delaware Internet Crimes Against Children investigated Pickett after receiving a cyber tip indicating he uploaded a video of child sexual abuse material to the Internet in August 2021.
Law enforcement later found approximately 4,468 media files suspected to contain child sexual abuse material on Pickett’s electronic devices. The files found on Pickett’s devices included images and videos of prepubescent minors and material portraying sadistic or masochistic conduct and other depictions of violence.
Following his time in prison, Pickett will spend 10 years on federal supervised release. Chief U.S. District Judge Colm F. Connolly pronounced the sentence.
“Our office is dedicated to protecting children and prosecuting those engaging in the sexual exploitation of minors through the heinous shadow industry that produces, distributes, and collects child sexual abuse material,” said U.S. Attorney Weiss.
U.S. Attorney Weiss also thanked Homeland Security Investigations and the Delaware law enforcement partners for their work in pursuing the case.
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.
Related Federal Cases
- Tyler Ramaley, Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Material, Delaware 2024 · Oklahoma
- William Walls, Attempting to Produce Child Sexual Abuse Material, Idaho 2025 · Idaho
- Kevin Lillis, Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Material, Louisiana 2025 · Maryland
- Bobby Johnson, Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Material, Wilmington DE 2024 · Idaho
- Michael Allen Montoya, Child Abuse Material, Idaho 2024 · Idaho
Key Facts
- State: Delaware
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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