FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                     CONTACT:  Donna Krise
TUESDAY, JULY 1, 2008                                         ACTING PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER
www.usdoj.gov/usao/txe                                                                               PHONE: (936) 639-4003
                                                                                                    

DENTON, TEXAS RESIDENT PLEADS GUILTY TO
CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CHARGES

            (SHERMAN, TX)  United States Attorney Rebecca A. Gregory announced today that a 58-year-old, Denton, Texas man has pleaded guilty to possession of visual depictions of minors involved in sexually explicit conduct in the Eastern District of Texas.

            Geoffrey Rhodes entered a plea of guilty today in Federal Court in Sherman before United States Magistrate Judge Don Bush.

            Rhodes pleaded guilty to using a computer to obtain and possess child pornography.  According to information presented in court, in 2006 and 2007, Mr. Rhodes purchased several visual depictions of child pornography using his internet account.   Mr. Rhodes admitted to possessing between 300 and 600 visual depictions of children involved in sexually explicit conduct which he obtained over the internet.  Many of these images contain victims who have been previously identified by National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and depict prepubescent children portrayed in sadistic or masochistic conduct.

            Rhodes faces a term of imprisonment up to ten years and a $250,000 fine.  The case has not yet been set for sentencing.  

            This case was investigated by the United States Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and prosecuted by the Department of Justice "Project Safe Childhood" a national initiative to protect children from computer exploitation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Michele A. Ratcliffe is prosecuting.

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