A federal indictment has been unsealed charging Thaddus Caves, 40, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, with receipt and possession of child pornography. The arrest, carried out yesterday, marks a critical blow in an ongoing crackdown on online predators exploiting children.
Caves was indicted by a federal grand jury on December 5th, facing one count each of receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography. According to court documents, in 2016, Caves knowingly received and possessed visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct—material so vile it violates the most basic standards of decency.
The investigation was led by the FBI’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, a multi-agency unit dedicated to tracking down offenders who use digital networks to access and distribute child sexual abuse material. Digital forensics played a pivotal role, uncovering evidence tied directly to Caves’ online activity and electronic devices.
Prosecution is being handled jointly by Trial Attorney William M. Grady of the Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey A. Gallant of the Northern District of Oklahoma. Both have built careers dismantling networks of child exploitation and holding predators accountable in federal court.
This case falls under Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative launched in May 2006 to combat the rising tide of child sexual abuse online. By uniting federal, state, and local agencies, the program enhances investigative reach, speeds up victim identification, and ensures swift prosecution of offenders like Caves.
If convicted, Caves faces severe mandatory minimum penalties under federal law, including decades in prison and lifelong registration as a sex offender. Authorities urge anyone with information about child exploitation to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST.
Related Federal Cases
- Thaddus Caves Pleads Guilty to Child Porn Possession · Oklahoma
- Cushing Man Gets 135 Months for Facebook Child Porn Scheme · Oklahoma
- Adam Thomas Simington Sentenced in Child Porn Case · Oklahoma
- Tulsa Predator Barnes Gets 15 Years for Child Porn · Oklahoma
- Brandon Lee Pruitt Gets 10 Years for Child Porn Distribution · Oklahoma
Key Facts
- State: Oklahoma
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
Sex CrimesSex CrimesSex CrimesSex Crimes