AVONDALE MAN SENTENCED TO OVER 20 YEARS IN FEDERAL PRISON FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CHARGES
DAVID A. LEWIS, 55, of Avondale, Louisiana, was sentenced today in federal court before U. S. District Judge Ivan L. R. Lemelle to 22 ½ years in prison followed by a life term of supervised release for crimes involving the sexual exploitation of children, announced U. S. Attorney Jim Letten. In addition, the defendant was ordered to register and comply with the Sex Offender Registration Act, provide a DNA sample, and refrain from any use of a computer with Internet Access.
According to documents filed in federal court, LEWIS pled guilty on September 2, 2009 admitting that he used his computer to search for, download, and save images of child pornography. LEWIS was found to be in possession of approximately 19,000 images and 11 videos depicting the sexual victimization of children. LEWIS was previously convicted of Child Molesting on or about July 19, 1985.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), 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 to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by special agents from the U. S. Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Project Safe Childhood Coordinator, Assistant U. S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba.
