Justin Ede Sentenced To 18 Months In Prison And 5 Years Of Supervised Release For Possession Of Child Pornography

The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Justin Ede, 30, of Enosburg Falls, Vermont was sentenced to 18 months in prison, having pled guilty to one count of possessing child pornography.  Senior United States District Judge William K. Sessions III, sitting in Burlington, also sentenced Ede to 5 years of supervised release.   

Court records indicate that in June 2014, federal agents executed a federal search warrant for Ede=s Swanton residence.  The warrant stemmed from an internet lead that suggested that someone in Ede=s residence was sharing child pornography using peer-to-peer file sharing software.  During the search, Ede admitted that he had downloaded child pornography over a two-month period using file-sharing software.  Child pornography images were subsequently located on Ede's computer.

Court records further show that Ede had a felony conviction in 2007 for lewd and lascivious conduct.  That case involved Ede engaging in non-consensual touching of a 17-year-old female.  Ede committed several violations of probation in that case, resulting in his incarceration.  At the time of his federal offense, Ede was a registered sex offender as a result of the state conviction. 

For his crime, Ede faced a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, and up to a $250,000 fine.  In sentencing Ede, Judge Sessions cited his prior conviction for a contact sexual offense and past violations of probation.  He also commented that Ede's risk of recidivism was reduced by his stable environment, including employment and family support.

The investigation was led by the Department of Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Christina E. Nolan prosecuted the case.  Ede is represented by Steven Barth, Esq., of the Federal Public Defender's Office.   

This prosecution was part of the U.S. Department of Justice=s Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices and the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.