HOUMA MAN SENTENCED TO 7 YEARS IN FEDERAL PRISON FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CHARGES
LEONARD DELAUNE, 34, was sentenced yesterday in federal court by U. S. District Judge Jay C. Zainey to seven (7) years (eighty-four months)in prison, register as a sex offender, and serve a life term of supervised release, announced U. S. Attorney Jim Letten. Additionally, Judge Zainey ordered that the defendant have no contact with any children under the age of 18 and no use of computers with internet or online access.
DELAUNE pled guilty on December 1, 2009 to Possession of Child Pornography. According to court documents, on April 3, 2008, Special Agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement recovered computer equipment from DELAUNE’s residence and found the defendant in possession of approximately 700 images and 60 videos depicting the sexual victimization of children. DELAUNE admitted to federal agents that he knowingly downloaded images of child pornography to his computer.
"All children have an absolute right to grow up free from the fear of sexual exploitation," said Raymond R. Parmer Jr., acting special agent in charge of the ICE Office of Investigations in New Orleans. "ICE relentlessly pursues predators who sexually abuse children, whether that abuse is physical in nature or if it's accomplished by exploiting their images. The sentencing of this man sends a strong message that ICE will not tolerate such despicable crimes. Our agents will continue to police cyber space to investigate and bring to justice those individuals who exploit the most vulnerable segment of our society- our children"
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 the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Project Safe Childhood Coordinator, Assistant U. S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba.
