Cincinnati Man Sentenced for Promoting Child Pornography

CINCINNATI –James Denney, 30, of Cincinnati, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 36 months in prison for aiding and abetting another individual in accessing child pornography.

Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Steve Francis, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), announced the sentence handed down today by U.S. District Judge Susan J. Dlott.

Denney was charged by indictment in January for knowingly promoting a URL on the Dark Web containing child pornography.

According to investigators, Denney provided an undercover agent with web links to an online board featuring dozens of links to child pornography chat rooms, video/image board sites, as well as “community” support groups and online security advice for child pornographers.

Denney pleaded guilty in May. According to the Statement of Facts filed in support of his plea agreement, Denney used the Kik Messenger app to provide the undercover officer guidance on how to download and use a TOR web browser for the purpose of concealing online activities from law enforcement and others.

While communicating with the officer, Denney personally recommended sections of the online board including “Hurt Core” and “Toddler Videos.” Such images were of – among other things – toddlers and pre-teens being bound and raped by adults who represented themselves as parents of those children.

Denney was also sentenced today to eight years of supervised release, and he must also register as a sex offender and comply with state and federal laws regarding sex offenders.

U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by HSI, and Assistant United States Attorney Karl P. Kadon, who is prosecuting the case.

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