United States Attorney
Northern District of Texas

1100 Commerce St., 3rd Fl.
Dallas, Texas 75242-1699

Telephone (214) 659-8600
Fax (214) 767-0978

TARRANT COUNTY MAN SENTENCED TO 78 MONTHS
IN FEDERAL PRISON, WITHOUT PAROLE, ON CHILD PORN CONVICTION

Abed Abed, a/k/a Abed Alabed, of Bedford Texas, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge John McBryde to 78 months in prison, announced U.S. Attorney Richard B. Roper of the Northern District of Texas. Abed, age 65, pled guilty in December to one count of possession of child pornography. Today, Judge McBryde also ordered the forfeiture of computer equipment Abed used to commit the crime.

Agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) executed a federal search warrant at Abed’s residence on Tennis Drive in Bedford, Texas, in September 2006. During that search, agents encountered Abed and discovered more than 700 images of child pornography on his computer and related storage media. Abed admitted that in January 2006, he purchased memberships to several child pornography websites using an E-gold account that he established in the name of his sister. He admitted that he downloaded movie images of child pornography from these websites.

This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. 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/.

U.S. Attorney Roper commended the investigative efforts of Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE). The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aisha Saleem.

###