Press Release
Contact:
PAUL D. LOCHNER
ASSISTANT U.S. ATTORNEY
PHONE: (616) 456-2406
ESCANABA MAN SENTENCED TO 7 YEARS FOR
DISTRIBUTION OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY
TUESDAY, MARCH 24, 2009 -
Marquette, Michigan -- Thomas Lawrence Nichol, 25, of Escanaba, Michigan, was
sentenced to 84 months in prison for distribution of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Donald A.
Davis announced today. U.S. District Judge Robert Holmes Bell also directed Nichol to serve 5
years of supervised release after his prison sentence is complete and to pay a $500 fine.
In 2006, Nichol was identified through a national investigation as a suspect in the distribution of child pornography. In April 2007, an agent from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and a detective from the Michigan State Police interviewed Nichol and searched his computer, finding child pornography. When confronted with this evidence, Nichol confessed to receiving and distributing child pornography via the Internet. On October 14, 2008, Nichol pleaded guilty to distribution of child pornography.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, county prosecutor’s offices, Internet Crimes Against Children task force (ICAC), federal, state, and local law enforcement are working closely together to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children. The partners in Project Safe Childhood work to educate local communities about the dangers of online child exploitation, and to teach children how to protect themselves. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit the following web site: www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
U.S. Attorney Davis commended U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Michigan State Police for their outstanding work on the case. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul D. Lochner.
END
This
web page last updated on:
March 24, 2009