Largo Man Gets 4 Years for Dark Web Child Abuse Access

Benjamin McKenzie, 42, of Largo, Florida, is headed to federal prison for four years after admitting to accessing and downloading hundreds of videos and images of child sexual abuse through the dark web. U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday handed down the sentence, which also includes 20 years of supervised release and mandatory registration as a sex offender upon McKenzie’s eventual release.

McKenzie pleaded guilty on November 28, 2017, to charges stemming from his use of an anonymizing website on the dark web to view and store child pornography. Federal authorities say he actively accessed the illicit material between September 2014 and March 2015, hiding behind encrypted networks in a failed attempt to evade detection.

FBI agents launched the investigation as part of a broader undercover operation targeting users of hidden dark web platforms dedicated to child exploitation. Digital footprints tied directly to McKenzie’s internet activity revealed repeated access to the site, leading agents to execute a search warrant at his Largo residence.

A forensic analysis of McKenzie’s seized computer uncovered at least 400 videos and 100 images depicting children being sexually abused. Investigators also found irrefutable evidence that he had downloaded the material from the dark web, confirming both possession and intent to retain the illegal content.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer L. Peresie and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Authorities emphasized that McKenzie’s arrest is one of many successes under Project Safe Childhood, a DOJ initiative launched in 2006 to dismantle networks of child sexual exploitation.

Project Safe Childhood combines federal, state, and local law enforcement efforts to identify, apprehend, and prosecute offenders who target children. With digital crimes growing more sophisticated, officials warn that no method of concealment—including the dark web—will shield predators from justice. For more information, visit www.justice.gov/psc.