Michael Rea, Child Pornography, California 2023

Michael Rea, a 26-year-old man from Winters, California, has been sentenced to 13 years and one month in prison for receiving child pornography.

A United States District Judge, John A. Mendez, handed down the sentence after Rea was found guilty of the offense. Rea, a registered sex offender, had a history of repeatedly failing to update his registration information.

In September 2013, Rea was on probation for a prior conviction for failing to register as required by California's sex offender registration laws. Agents from the Sacramento Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement (SAFE) Taskforce and the Federal Bureau of Investigation discovered Rea living with a child at a location where he was not registered to live.

A search of Rea's belongings revealed a DVD containing six movies of children being sexually abused. Rea has been in custody since his arrest.

The SAFE Team is a multi-jurisdictional task force created with grant funding from the California State Office of Emergency Services. The team is composed of members from the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office, the Sacramento Police Department, the Sacramento County Probation Department, and the U.S. Marshals Service.

Assistant United States Attorney Matthew G. Morris prosecuted the case. This conviction was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.

Rea's case highlights the importance of continued efforts to protect children from exploitation and abuse. His sentence serves as a reminder of the severe consequences for those who engage in such heinous crimes.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edca/pr/winters-man-sentenced-13-years-prison-child-pornography-offense