Kenneth Minnick, Receiving and Possessing Child Pornography, Florida 2016

A Fort Myers man has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for receiving and possessing images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children.

According to court documents, Kenneth Minnick, 43, had pleaded guilty on December 12, 2018, for receiving and possessing child pornography.

Between September 16 and October 25, 2016, the FBI downloaded multiple child pornography files from an Internet Protocol address associated with Minnick’s residence. On December 9, 2016, the FBI and local law enforcement executed a search warrant on Minnick’s home and seized his computer and two flash drives. A forensic analysis of the devices revealed 253 images and 13 videos of child pornography. Some of the images and videos depicted infants, toddlers and pre-school age children engaging in sex acts.

Minnick’s sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven in Tampa, Florida. The case was investigated by the FBI’s Innocent Images Task Force in Fort Myers, which includes the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the Sarasota Police Department, the Cape Coral Police Department, and the Bradenton Police Department. The New York Police Department also assisted with this case.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Charlie D. Connally and Jennifer Peresie. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.

This case highlights the importance of law enforcement agencies working together to protect our children from sexual exploitation and abuse. The sentence handed down to Kenneth Minnick serves as a reminder that those who engage in such heinous crimes will be held accountable for their actions.