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Date: 10-12-2020
Case Style:
Case Number: 3:20-cr-00109-AWT
Judge: Alvin W. Thompson
Court: United States District Court for the District of Connecticut (New Haven County)
Plaintiff's Attorney: United States District Attorney’s Office, New Haven, Connecticut
Defendant's Attorney:
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Description: New Haven, Connecticut criminal defense lawyer represented defendant charged with child exploitation.
Mark Felner, age 31, from Clinton, Connecticut was charged with for engaging in sexual activity with an underage victim in 2015 and 2016, and receiving pornographic images from the minor victim.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on multiple occasions in 2015, Felner, who was 26 at the time, traveled from Connecticut to North Carolina to engage in illegal sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl. In 2015 and 2016, when Felner and the minor victim were not physically together, the victim, at Felner’s instruction, sent pornographic images of herself through social media messaging services.
Felner was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on October 8, 2019. A memory card seized from Felner at the time of his arrest revealed pornographic images that he had received from the minor victim.
On July 15, 2020, Felner pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography.
Felner, who is released on a $50,000 bond, is scheduled to report to prison on January 7, 2021.
Felner will be required to register as a sex offender as a result of his conviction.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New London and East Lyme Police Departments. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Margaret Donovan and Neeraj Patel.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
ACTIVITIES RE MATERIAL CONSTITUTING/CONTAINING CHILD PORNO - Receipt of Child Pornography
(1)
Outcome: 10/07/2020 61 ORDER: The Motion for Order of Forfeiture as to Mark Felner (ECF No. 60 ) is hereby GRANTED. It is so ordered. Signed by Judge Alvin W. Thompson on 10/7/2020. (Clough, M.) (Entered: 10/07/2020)
10/07/2020 62 Oral MOTION for Acceptance of Responsibility by USA as to Mark Felner. (Ferguson, L.) (Entered: 10/07/2020)
10/07/2020 63 Oral MOTION for Voluntary Surrender on January 7, 2021 by Mark Felner. (Ferguson, L.) (Entered: 10/08/2020)
10/07/2020 64 Minute Entry for proceedings held before Judge Alvin W. Thompson: Sentencing as to Mark Felner held on 10/7/2020. Motion Hearing as to Mark Felner held on 10/7/2020. Motion for Forfeiture of Property (ECF No. 60 ) filed by USA - GRANTED. Oral Motion for Acceptance of Responsibility made by USA (ECF No. 62 ) - GRANTED. Oral Motion for Voluntary Surrender on January 7, 2021 made by Mark Felner (ECF No. 63 ) - GRANTED. Total Time: 2 hours and 05 minutes (Court Reporter C. Thompson.) (Ferguson, L.) (Entered: 10/08/2020)
10/07/2020 65 Final ORDER DIRECTING FORFEITURE OF PROPERTY as to Mark Felner. It is so ordered.
Signed by Judge Alvin W. Thompson on 10/7/2020. (Ferguson, L.) (Entered: 10/08/2020)
Plaintiff's Experts:
Defendant's Experts:
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