May 27, 2009

GRAND JUNCTION MAN SENTENCED TO FEDERAL PRISON FOR POSSESSING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

DENVER – Michael J. Morrow, age 64, of Grand Junction, Colorado, was sentenced late last week by U.S. District Court Judge Christine M. Arguello to serve 84 months (7 years) in federal prison for possession of child pornography, Acting U.S. Attorney David Gaouette and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Copp announced.  Following his prison sentence, Judge Arguello ordered Morrow to serve 10 years on supervised release.  He was also ordered register as a sex offender.  Morrow, who was free on bond living at a halfway house, was remanded into custody.

Michael J. Morrow was first charged by Criminal Complaint on October 28, 2008.  He was indicted by a federal grand jury in Denver on November 19, 2008.  He pled guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Christine M. Arguello to the child pornography possession charge on March 16, 2009.  He was sentenced by Judge Arguello on May 22, 2009.

According to the stipulated facts outlined in the defendant’s plea agreement, on October 27, 2008, a search warrant was executed by ICE agents at Morrows home in Grand Junction.  A preview examination of the defendant’s computer hard drive revealed numerous image files of children engaging in sexually explicit conduct.  Morrow then admitted using his personal computer, external hard drives, and flash drives to receive, view and send images and video files of child pornography via the internet.  In total Morrow believed he had approximately 13,000 images.  Some of the child pornography involved children under the age of 12 engaging in sado/masochistic behavior.

“Every time a sexual predator views an image of child pornography, that child again becomes a victim,” said Acting U.S. Attorney David Gaouette.

“This sentencing is evidence of ICE’s resolve to search out those who use the Internet to sexually exploit innocent children,” said Jeffrey Copp, Special Agent in Charge of ICE’s Office of Investigations in Denver.  “Some predators mistakenly believe that the anonymity of cyberspace shields them from scrutiny.  In fact, their use of computers and the Internet have given us new tools to use in our enforcement efforts.”

This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office.

Morrow was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Wyatt Angelo.

####