United States Attorney's Office District of Connecticut
Press Release

Project Safe Childhood: EAST HAMPTON MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO FEDERAL CHILD PORNOGRAPHY POSSESSION CHARGE

Kevin J. O’Connor, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JEFFREY HALL, 38, of Mott Hill Road, East Hampton, Connecticut, pleaded guilty today before United States District Judge Ellen Bree Burns in New Haven to one count of possession of child pornography.

According to documents filed with the Court and statements made in Court, on October 3, 2006, special agents of United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement executed a search warrant at HALL’s residence, as part of a nationwide investigation known as Operation Emissary.  The investigation focused on the operation of a pay-to-view website featuring thousands of photographs and movies depicting child pornography.  Through court authorized searches of computer servers hosting the website, court-authorized monitoring of e-mail accounts used to manage that website, and other investigative techniques, agents gathered extensive information regarding the operation of the website, including information identifying many of its customers.

After the investigation revealed that HALL had purchased a subscription to the website and used his home computer to access its illegal images and movies, agents obtained a warrant to search his home.  During the search, law enforcement officers seized HALL’s home computer and hard drives.  Analysis of the computer hard drives revealed the existence of more than 600 images of child pornography, including photographs of children under the age of 12 engaged in sexually explicit conduct and photographs depicting violent or sadistic sexual conduct involving minors.

Judge Burns has scheduled sentencing for May 28, 2008, at which time HALL faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a fine of up to $250,000.

This investigation was conducted by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James Smart.

United States Attorney O’Connor noted that this prosecution is part of the United States Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse.  Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.

CONTACT:

U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
thomas.carson@usdoj.gov