Fort Smith, Arkansas – In a disturbing case of child exploitation, Raymond Freitas, a 42-year-old man from Hackett, Arkansas, has been sentenced to 75 months in prison for Receipt of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on an undisclosed date in 2014 before the Honorable P. K. Holmes, III in the United States District Court in Fort Smith.
Conner Eldridge, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced the sentencing, stating, “We will not rest in our efforts to identify, investigate, and prosecute those who commit these despicable crimes against our children. Every time a video or image involving sexual abuse of children is downloaded or viewed, those children are re-victimized. We appreciate the hard work of law enforcement to bring these sexual predators to justice.”
Raymond R. Parmer, Jr., special agent in charge of HSI New Orleans, added, “Criminals who prey on our children remain a top priority for HSI and our law enforcement partners. This predator will be locked away from society thanks to the collaborative efforts of HSI and our law enforcement partners at the Sebastian County Sheriff’s Office and the Hackett Police Department.”
According to court records, in May 2014, agents with Homeland Security Investigations identified a computer that was being used to download suspected child pornography via the internet. A subsequent investigation revealed that the subscriber information for that computer returned to Freitas, whose residence is in Hackett. Agents obtained and executed a search warrant on the residence where they seized a computer and several DVD’s. Freitas admitted at that time to downloading images and videos of child pornography on several different occasions.
A subsequent forensic examination of the confiscated items revealed numerous images and videos of child pornography. On September 29, 2014, Freitas pleaded guilty in Federal Court to receiving child pornography.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Kyra Jenner prosecuted the case for the United States.
The 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 by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and their Criminal Division Child Exploitation and Obscenity Sections.
Related Federal Cases
- Richard Blaine Gamblin, Knowing Receipt of Child Pornography, Arkansas 2016 · Arkansas
- Raymond Kinney, Child Pornography Distribution, Arkansas 2015 · Arkansas
- Justin Grant Crain, Receipt of Child Pornography, Arkansas 2023 · Arkansas
- Eddie Scott Seaton, Child Pornography Possession, Arkansas 2023 · North Dakota
- Brandon Joshua Napier, Child Pornography Trafficking, Arkansas 2022 · Arkansas
Key Facts
- State: Arkansas
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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