United States Attorney Richard B. Roper
Northern District of Texas

FORT WORTH MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO
FEDERAL CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CHARGE

FORT WORTH, Texas — Ricky Neal Meuir pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge John McBryde to one count of receipt of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Richard B. Roper of the Northern District of Texas. Meuir, 44, who has been in custody since his arrest last month at his home in Fort Worth on charges outlined in an indictment, faces a maximum statutory sentence of not less than five and not more than 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. In addition, Meuir will be required to forfeit all of the computer equipment used in committing the offense. He is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge McBryde on March 21, 2008.

In documents filed in Court today, Meuir admitted using the Internet to download five picture files of minor children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. A forensic examination of Meuir’s computer and related storage media that were seized by Fort Worth Police Department officers when they executed a federal search warrant at his home in September, revealed more than 1,000 images of child pornography and more than 50 video clips of child pornography of children ranging in age from eight to 14.

The case is being brought as part of 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 the Fort Worth Police Department and the U.S. Secret Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex C. Lewis is prosecuting the case.

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