Jacksonville Man Found Guilty of Using Dark Web App to Download Child Porn

A Jacksonville man has been found guilty of receiving child sexual-abuse images and videos over the internet using a “dark web” application.

The Department of Justice said that during an online undercover investigation into people using an anonymizing website on the “dark web” to access and receive images and videos depicting child pornography, FBI agents apprehended the administrator and seized it from the web-hosting facility.

Agents said they identified the 42-year-old man as having had access to child pornography on the website Feb. 28 and March 3.

The DOJ said after the July 29, 2015, execution of a search warrant at the man’s home, a forensic exam of his laptop revealed at least 500 videos and at least 5,000 images depicting child pornography.

The man’s sentencing date has been set for Dec. 18. He faces a minimum penalty of five years, and a maximum of 20 years, in federal prison.

Recently, the term “dark web” has made news headlines as police have been catching up on the technology people use to stay hidden online. The dark web refers to places online that search engines cannot reach because they require users to have specific knowledge about how to access the site, and almost always require the use of specific encryption keys. There are legitimate uses for the dark web, but it opens the door for a wide array of criminal activity as well.

If you have been charged with a computer or internet sex crime, you need the help of an experienced Florida Child Pornography Defense Lawyer at Whittel & Melton. We can help you understand the full scope of the charges against you and what you can do to combat them.

Call us today for a free consultation at 866-608-5529 or contact us online.