Thomas Andrew Taylor, Child Pornography, North Carolina 2013

Former Kinston Fire Captain Sentenced to 188 Months in Prison for Child Pornography

Raleigh, NC – In a shocking case of child exploitation, former Kinston Fire Captain Thomas Andrew Taylor, 53, of Grifton, has been sentenced to 188 months in prison followed by 15 years of supervised release for his involvement in a child pornography ring.

According to the investigation, Taylor was identified by law enforcement in Philadelphia in September 2012 as an individual using a screen name to post pornographic images of children. On January 11, 2013, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) notified law enforcement that a subject later identified as Taylor accessed Facebook and posted an image of child pornography on December 22, 2012.

A search warrant was executed at Taylor’s residence on May 31, 2013, and he agreed to a noncustodial interview. During that interview, Taylor admitted using his laptop computer, as well as his Yahoo! and Gmail accounts, to trade child pornography with others. On the way to the interview, Taylor attempted to destroy evidence by throwing a laptop into a creek off Highway 58 North in Kinston. However, the computer was recovered and was processed for evidence. A subsequent forensic examination revealed that Taylor’s child pornography collection included 334 images and 34 videos.

The criminal investigation of this case was conducted by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Federal Bureau of Investigation, North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement, and the Lenoir County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Ethan A. Ontjes is handling the prosecution on behalf of the Eastern District of North Carolina.

This case was part of the Project Safe Childhood initiative, a national program aimed at ensuring that criminals exploiting children are effectively prosecuted by making full use of all available law enforcement resources at every level. For more information about this important national project, Project Safe Childhood, go to www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

Thomas Andrew Taylor, 53, of Grifton, was sentenced to 188 months imprisonment followed by 15 years of supervised release. He was charged with one count of Receipt of Child Pornography in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252(a)(2). The case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Federal Bureau of Investigation, North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement, and the Lenoir County Sheriff’s Office. The sentencing occurred on March 26, 2014.

This case highlights the importance of law enforcement agencies working together to combat child exploitation. The Project Safe Childhood initiative has been instrumental in bringing perpetrators to justice and protecting children from exploitation.

The investigation revealed that Taylor’s child pornography collection included 334 images and 34 videos. He was identified by law enforcement in Philadelphia in September 2012 and was found to have accessed Facebook and posted an image of child pornography on December 22, 2012.

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