Fresno Man Sentenced to 5.5 Years in Prison for Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography

FRESNO, Calif. — Tanner Joel Hernandez-Fields, 22, of Fresno, was sentenced today to five years and six months in prison for receipt and distribution of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, between March 19, 2019, and April 12, 2019, Hernandez-Fields received on an Apple iPhone photos and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. These images included depictions of prepubescent minors, including material that meets the definition of sadistic or masochistic conduct.

The court ordered forfeiture of the iPhone and $5,000 in restitution to a victim whose images the defendant possessed. The court also placed Hernandez-Fields on a term of supervised release of 15 years during which his access to computers, the internet, and children will be restricted and he will be required to register as a sex offender.

This case was the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.