News Releases

Former EMT paramedic sentenced to 20 years on child pornography conviction

SAN ANTONIO - A former Emergency Medical Service (EMT) paramedic and part-time photographer was sentenced on Thursday to 20 years in federal prison for possessing child pornography. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney John E. Murphy, Western District of Texas. The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Schertz Police Department.

Stephen Henry, 28, of Schertz, Texas, was sentenced May 7 to 240 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia. In addition, Henry will have to pay a $1300 special assessment fee. After he completes his sentence, Henry will also be subject to a 40-year term of supervised release.

In December 2009, Henry pleaded guilty to 11 counts of possessing child pornography, one count of producing obscene visual representations of children, and one count of possessing obscene visual representations of children.

ICE agents executed a federal search warrant at Henry's home in April 2009. This is where agents seized 77 videos and 1,539 images of sexually explicit child pornography. According to documents filed in this case, Henry also created his own obscene visual images by using various computer programs to alter and edit images of children to appear as if they are engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

This investigation was part of Operation Predator, a nationwide ICE initiative to protect children from sexual predators, including those who travel overseas for sex with minors, Internet child pornographers, criminal alien sex offenders and child sex traffickers. Since Operation Predator was launched in July 2003, ICE agents have arrested more than 12,000 individuals.

ICE encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at 1-866-DHS-2ICE. 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.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Thompson, Western District of Texas, prosecuted this case