HOUSTON - Retired federal park ranger Douglas Crockwell Demmon of Galveston, Texas, has entered a plea of guilty United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today. Demmon entered his guilty plea this morning to one count of distribution of child pornography before United States District Court Judge Kenneth Hoyt.

Demmon, 65, was arrested on April 29, 2011, as the result of an investigation conducted by the Houston Metro Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC). The investigation revealed that Demmon was e-mailing child pornography to other unknown individuals over the Internet. 

A cybertip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children was originally investigated by the Maryland State Police Computer Crimes Unit in September of 2010. The tip indicated that a video containing child pornography was uploaded from an internet protocol address assigned to the account of Demmon. 

In March 2011, ICAC Task Force officers were able to view child pornography on two computers in Demmon’s home. After a search warrant was obtained for the computers, forensic analysis revealed an email sent by Demmon to an unknown individual containing three images of child pornography. All of the images involved prepubescent females, from approximately five to 10 years of age. In one image, there are two prepubescent females and one prepubescent male engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
           
Demmon, who had been previously released on bond, was allowed to remain on bond pending his sentencing hearing set for May 7, 2012, at which time he faces a minimum sentence of five to a maximum of 20 years imprisonment as well as a maximum $250,000 fine. Upon completion of any prison term imposed, Demmon also faces a maximum of life on supervised release, during which the court can impose a number of special conditions designed to protect children. Additionally, Demmon will have to register as a sex offender.

This case 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, 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 is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sherri L. Zack.