November 30, 2007

Cleveland-area machine operator sentenced to 15 years in prison for crimes involving child pornography
He admitted to sexually molesting two prepubescent girls in 1983

CLEVELAND - A Bedford Heights man was sentenced here Friday to 15 years in prison for possessing and attempting to receive child pornography, following an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Dennis Klinger, 61, of Bedford Heights, Ohio, was sentenced before U. S. District Court Judge John R. Adams to 180 months imprisonment followed by 10 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal prison system.

While conducting a federal search warrant in June 2007, ICE agents arrested Klinger at his residence on the 6200 block of Oxford Court. During his interview with agents, Klinger admitted to purchasing child pornography on the internet and sexually molesting two girls, ages 7 and 11 in 1983. ICE agents conducted a computer forensic analysis of Klinger's hard drive that revealed five movie files and more than 70 images of girls engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Klinger was not previously convicted for sexually molesting the two girls.

"All children have an absolute right to grow up free from the fear of being sexually exploited," said Brian M. Moskowitz, special agent in charge of the ICE Office of Investigations in Detroit. "ICE will not cease in its pursuit of those who physically or sexually abuse our kids." Moskowitz oversees the states of Ohio and Michigan.

This case is part of Operation Predator, ICE's comprehensive initiative to safeguard children from foreign national pedophiles, international sex tourists, Internet child pornographers, and human traffickers. Since Operation Predator was launched in July 2003, ICE agents have arrested more than 10,000 individuals nationwide, including 112 in Ohio.

ICE encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at 1-866-DHS-2ICE. Investigators staff this hotline around the clock. Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, at 1-800-843-5678 or http://www.cybertipline.com.

Assistance in this case was provided by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS).  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Sullivan, Northern District of Ohio.

-- ICE --

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was established in March 2003 as the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security. ICE is comprised of five integrated divisions that form a 21st century law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities.

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