News Releases

Federal jury convicts man on 5 child pornography charges
Defendant produced illegal images of his daughter

PORTLAND, Ore. - A federal jury today convicted a former Beaverton, Ore., resident on five charges related to the production, distribution and possession of child pornography, following an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

During the trial of Terance Scott Carpenter, 45, prosecutors presented evidence that the defendant sent and received child pornography in addition to taking sexually explicit pictures of his daughter. The trial lasted three days and the jury deliberated for approximately 40 minutes before delivering the guilty verdict.

According to court documents, Carpenter began taking illegal images of his daughter in 1997 when she was 9 years old. He continued to do so for six years.

After ICE agents executed a federal search warrant in November 2006 at Carpenter's apartment, they seized three computers and several compact disks. Further forensic analysis of these items revealed several thousand images and videos of children, many of whom are known child sex abuse victims from all over the world.

During the lengthy computer analysis, ICE agents identified Carpenter's daughter in several hundred of the images. They subsequently located her and she fully cooperated in the prosecution of this case.

"Today's jury verdict serves as a reminder that there are serious consequences for producing, collecting and trading illegal images of innocent children being sexually exploited," said Leigh Winchell, special agent in charge of the ICE Office of Investigations that covers Oregon. "ICE agents will continue to work tirelessly to identify these child predators and bring them to justice, one by one."

At the time of the crimes, Carpenter was employed as a bus driver for Tri-Met in the Portland, Ore., metropolitan area. More recently he has worked as a long-haul truck driver and a bridge tender.

Each child pornography production count carries a 10-year mandatory minimum prison sentence up to a maximum of 20 years. Receipt and distribution of child pornography carries a minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum of up to 20 years. The possession count carries a maximum of 20 years.

The judge set sentencing for April 16. Carpenter is in federal custody pending his sentencing.

This case was the result of Operation Predator, a nationwide ICE initiative to identify, investigate and arrest those who prey on children, including human traffickers, international sex tourists, Internet pornographers, and foreign national predators whose crimes make them deportable. Launched in July 2003, ICE agents have arrested more than 11,600 individuals under Operation Predator.

ICE encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at 1-866-347-2423. This hotline is staffed around the clock by investigators. Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, at 1-800-843-5678 or http://www.cybertipline.com.