Pete Frank, Child Pornography Distribution, Texas 2024

A 23-year-old Corpus Christi resident has been ordered to federal prison for trading images and videos containing child pornography, officials announced.

Pete Frank pleaded guilty on November 25, 2024 for engaging in online conversations regarding his past sexual assaults of a young family member.

U.S. District Judge David Morales ordered Frank to serve 240 months in federal prison, with an additional 25 years of supervised release during which time he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet.

Frank will also be ordered to register as a sex offender. The sentence was handed down after authorities discovered an internet user accessing files depicting child sexual assault material (CSAM) on April 14, 2020.

A forensic examination of Frank’s cell phone revealed he had been engaging in online conversations with individuals interested in CSAM and participated in these conversations, seeking to trade images and videos with other individuals. Frank also discussed with others different strategies to engage in sexual activities with minors.

“Those that possess and trade CSAM indirectly contribute to the production of that terrible material, and so punishing possession helps to diminish demand,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

The Corpus Christi Police Department and Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Overman prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.

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