A 38-year-old man who was caught with close to 27,000 child abuse images and videos after an investigation involving Australian Federal Police (AFP) and U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, has been jailed for 18 months by the Sydney District Court.
The man, from New South Wales, was sentenced yesterday (13 May 2021) for four offences of possessing child abuse material and three counts of using a carriage service to access child pornography.
AFP officers arrested and charged the man on 20 August 2019 after he was allegedly identified by Homeland Security Investigations as a customer of an international child exploitation website.
Records indicated the man, from country NSW, spent more than $3000 to purchase thousands of images and videos through the website between 2017 and 2019.
AFP officers found child abuse material stored on computers, mobile phones and other electronic devices they seized from the man’s home. Three USBs containing illegal files were found wrapped in electrical tape and hidden under cups in a kitchen cupboard.
Some of the images and videos showed infants and children being tortured and sexually assaulted by adults.
The man’s sentence was backdated to 19 February 2021 to account for time spent in custody on remand.
AFP Senior Constable Dannii Campbell, from the Child Protection Operations team, said this investigation highlights the strong working relationship between the AFP and Homeland Security Investigations to combat transnational child exploitation.
“Our common goal is to protect children, wherever they live, and ensure anyone who tries to hurt and exploit them is identified and brought before the courts,” Senior Constable Campbell said.
“Anyone who views this material is harming a child, and helping to prop up a vile industry that will abuse more children to satisfy the demand.”
U.S. Homeland Security Investigations Attaché to Australia Adam Parks said due to the global nature of online child exploitation, Home Security Investigations relies on our international partner agencies to help pursue justice wherever an investigation may lead, which oftentimes is outside of the U.S.
“Whenever these investigations connect to Australia, the AFP and other supporting agencies have an exceptional track record of working with Home Security Investigations to deliver results that are both rapid and comprehensive. This is yet another example of that outstanding work.”
Members of the public who have any information about people involved in child abuse and exploitation are urged to call Crime stoppers on 1800 333 000.
You can also make a report online by alerting the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation via the Report Abuse button.
If you or someone you know are impacted by child sexual abuse and online exploitation there are support services available, visit the ACCCE to learn more.
Advice and support for parents and carers about how they can help protection children online can be found at ThinkUKnow, an AFP-led education program designed to prevent online child sexual exploitation.
