United States Attorney's Office District of Connecticut
Press Release

Project Safe Childhood: UK CITIZEN PLEADS GUILTY TO RECEIPT AND POSSESSION OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

Nora R. Dannehy, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ALAN HESKETH, 61, a citizen of the United Kingdom and a lawful permanent resident of the United States last residing in Stonington, Connecticut, waived his right to indictment and pleaded guilty today before Senior United States District Judge Warren W. Eginton in Bridgeport to one count of receipt and distribution of child pornography.

According to documents filed with the Court and statements made in court, from June 2006 to May 2007, HESKETH used Google’s now defunct “Hello” program to exchange hundreds of images of child pornography with another Hello user and to engage in online “chats” during which he discussed, among other things, the sexual molestation of children.  Many of the exchanged images depicted prepubescent and pubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct with adults and other minors.

Judge Eginton has scheduled sentencing for October 17, 2008, at which time HESKETH faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years, a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and a fine of up to $250,000.

HESKETH has been detained since his arrest by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents on March 26, 2008.

Acting U.S. Attorney Dannehy commended the investigative efforts of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Deborah R. Slater.

Acting U.S. Attorney Dannehy noted that this prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation.  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