ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – A Moline, Illinois man, John C. McConaghy, age 58, of the 900 block of 37th Street, was sentenced today to a term of 73 months for receiving and possessing child pornography. U.S. District Judge Michael M. Mihm ordered McConaghy to report to the federal Bureau of Prisons immediately to begin serving his prison sentence.

McConaghy entered pleas of guilty on March 14, 2008, to receiving and possessing child pornography. During court hearings and in court documents, the government presented information that forensic analysis of McConaghy’s computer revealed that he possessed nearly 3,000 images and 200 videos of child pornography including images of pre-pubescent children under the age of 12 and images of children performing sado-masochistic acts.

The charges were investigated by the Moline Police Department, the Rock Island Police Department, the Central Illinois Cybercrimes Task Force at Peoria, Illinois, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara L. Darrow prosecuted the case.

In February 2006, the United States Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, 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.