Comments on Current Events In Criminal Law from the Federal Criminal Courts in Texas

July 07, 2008

HOUSTON ATTORNEY INDICTED FOR RECEIVING AND POSSESSING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

(HOUSTON, Texas) - Warren Reid Williamson, of Houston, was arrested yesterday by immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents for attempting to receive, receiving and possessing child pornography as well as destruction of records, United States Attorney Don DeGabrielle has announced. A federal grand jury indicted Williamson Wednesday, June 25, 2008.

Williamson, 56, a local attorney, has been charged in a nine-count indictment with one count of attempting to receive child pornography, six counts of receiving child pornography, one count of possession of child pornography and one count of destruction of records. He is set for a detention hearing and arraignment Wednesday, July 2 at 10:0 a.m. before Honorable Judge Calvin Botley.

The indictment accuses Williamsonof attempting to receive images of child pornography between Dec. 16, 2005, and Feb. 7, 2007, and accuses Williamson of actually receiving images of child pornography on six different dates in July and August 2007. The eighth count alleges Williamson possessed images of child pornography on a computer in November 2007. The ninth count accuses Williamson of destroying or altering records with the intent to obstruct a federal investigation.

The charges against Williamson are the result of an investigation conducted by members of the Child Predator/Cybercrime squad in the Houston office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement which focuses its attention on investigating offenses involving the exploitation of children.

Williamson faces a mandatory minimum statutory sentence of five years imprisonment up to a maximum of 20 years for attempted receipt and receipt of child pornography if convicted of any one of these counts. The possession of child pornography carries a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment, while the destruction of records carries a maximum sentence of 20 years. All counts also carry a maximum fine of $250,000 as possible punishment. If convicted, Williamson also faces a maximum of life on supervised release upon completion of any prison term imposed during which the court can impose a number of special conditions designed to protect children and prohibit the use of the Internet.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices, 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.projectsafechildhood.gov.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Stabe.