Jennings Man Pleads Guilty To Receiving Child Porn

LAKE CHARLES, La. – U.S. Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that Seth Ryan Bivens, 29, of Jennings, La., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Patricia Minaldi to receiving child pornography.

According to evidence presented at the guilty plea, law enforcement authorities discovered that Bivens was downloading child pornography using “peer-to-peer” software.  A warrant was obtained, and Bivens’ home was searched on November 14, 2012. An examination of Bivens’ computer and other electronic devices uncovered 294 movies and 28 images of child pornography.

Bivens faces five up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and supervised release of five years to life.  Sentencing is set for February 6, 2014.  The U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations and the Louisiana State Police conducted the investigation.  Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert C. Abendroth is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a U.S. Department of Justice nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by U.S. 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.projectafechildhood.gov.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security/Homeland Security Investigations/Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at (866) DHS-2ICE.  Investigators are available at all hours to answer hotline calls.  Tips or other information can also be submitted to ICE online at www.ice.gov/exec/forms/hsi-tips/tips.asp. Tips may be reported anonymously.