Date: 09-13-2018

Case Style:

Case Number: 1:18-cr-00339-CMH-1

Judge: Claude M. Hilton

Court: United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia (Arlington County)

Plaintiff's Attorney: James E. Burke IV, Gwendelynn Bills and William Clayman

Defendant's Attorney: Pat Anderson and Jessica Richardson

Description: Alexandria, VA - Virginia Man Pleads Guilty to Receipt of Child Pornography

An Alexandria, Virginia man pleaded guilty today to one count of receipt of child pornography.

Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger of the Eastern District of Virginia, Assistant Director in Charge Nancy McNamara of the FBI’s Washington Field Office and Chief Michael L. Brown of the Alexandria Police Department made the announcement.

Edward Thomas Parsons, 64, a former physical security specialist with the Department of Defense, pleaded guilty today before Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton of the Eastern District of Virginia to receipt of child pornography. According to admissions made in connection with his plea, Parsons administered an online group chat on Kik Messenger, a mobile messaging application, dedicated to soliciting child pornography from other Kik users. Between January 2015 and August 2015, Parsons received and distributed images and videos of child pornography from this Kik group chat. In addition, through the course of its investigation, law enforcement seized Parsons’s personal desktop computer and cell phone and found hundreds of images and videos of child pornography on the devices.

Parsons is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 1, 2019.

FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, specifically the Alexandria Police Department, is investigating the case. The Task Force is comprised of agents of the FBI, U.S. Marshals, and detectives from the Prince William County Police, Fairfax County Police, Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, Metropolitan Police, Alexandria City Police, Arlington County Police, Leesburg Police, Virginia State Police and the Offices of Inspector General of several federal agencies.

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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, 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.justice.gov/psc.

Charge:

18:2225(a)(2) and (b)(1) Receipt of Child Pornography (08/2015)
(1)

(a) Any person who—
(1) knowingly transports or ships using any means or facility of interstate or foreign commerce or in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce by any means including by computer or mails, any visual depiction, if—
(A) the producing of such visual depiction involves the use of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct; and
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Outcome: 09/12/2018 34 WAIVER OF INDICTMENT by Edward Parsons (tarm, ) (Entered: 09/12/2018)
09/12/2018 35 INFORMATION as to Edward Parsons (1) count(s) 1. (tarm) (Entered: 09/12/2018)
09/12/2018 36 Minute Entry for proceedings held before District Judge Claude M. Hilton: Plea Agreement Hearing as to Edward Parsons held on 9/12/2018. US appeared through: James Burke. Deft appeared w/counsel Patrick Anderson. Deft PG to the Criminal Information filed. Plea entered by Edward Parsons (1) and Accepted; Guilty Count 1. Deft referred to PO for PSIR and Sentencing set for 2/1/2019 at 09:00 AM in Alexandria Courtroom 800 before District Judge Claude M. Hilton. Deft cont'd on present bond. (Court Reporter: J. Egal)(tarm) (Entered: 09/12/2018)
09/12/2018 37 PLEA AGREEMENT as to Edward Parsons (tarm) (Entered: 09/12/2018)
09/12/2018 38 Statement of Facts as to Edward Parsons (tarm) (Entered: 09/12/2018)
09/12/2018 39 CONSENT ORDER OF FORFEITURE as to Edward Parsons. Signed by District Judge Claude M. Hilton on 9/12/2018. (tarm) (Entered: 09/12/2018)

Plaintiff's Experts:

Defendant's Experts:

Comments: