A 48-year-old Youngsville man has admitted to distributing and possessing child pornography, including graphic images of children as young as two and three years old, federal prosecutors announced today.
Thomas Hanes pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Patrick Hanna on charges of one count of distribution and one count of possession of child pornography. The plea, which will be finalized upon acceptance by U.S. District Judge Patricia Minaldi, stems from a digital investigation that linked Hanes to the spread of thousands of illegal files via an online peer-to-peer network.
On February 26, 2016, law enforcement agents raided Hanes’ Youngsville home and seized electronic devices containing sexually explicit material involving toddlers and other minors. The evidence paints a grim picture of premeditated, long-term exploitation facilitated through hidden internet networks designed to evade detection.
Hanes now faces a potential 20-year prison sentence on the distribution charge alone, with an additional 20 years possible for possession. He could also be fined up to $250,000, forfeit all seized digital devices, and be subjected to supervised release for five years to life. Registration as a sex offender is mandatory.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, Louisiana State Police, and the Youngsville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamilla A. Bynog is prosecuting. It falls under Project Safe Childhood, the Justice Department’s national initiative targeting online child sexual exploitation through coordinated federal, state, and local action.
A sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 9, 2017. The public is urged to report suspected child predators through Homeland Security’s toll-free hotline at (866) 347-2423, online via www.ice.gov/exec/forms/hsi-tips/tips.asp, or through the Operation Predator smartphone app.
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Key Facts
- State: Louisiana
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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