Source: United States Attorneys General
Headline: Kenai Man Sentenced for Possession of Child Pornography
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that a Kenai man was sentenced in federal court in Anchorage for possessing images of child pornography.
Phillip Miller, 27, of Kenai, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy M. Burgess, to serve six years in prison, followed by a lifetime term of supervised release. Miller previously pleaded guilty on Sept. 25, 2017, to possession of child pornography – access with intent to view.
According to court documents, on May 18, 2016, Miller became the subject of a federal investigation after law enforcement officials received images depicting child sexual exploitation, which were shared by Miller using the Bittorrent peer-to-peer file-sharing network. A search warrant was executed on Miller’s Kenai residence, where law enforcement had seized Miller’s computer. Located on Miller’s computer were approximately 36 images depicting the sexual exploitation of children under 12 involving bestiality, sadism, and bondage. The investigation also revealed that Miller had used search terms to find images of child sexual exploitation to access and view, and that those search terms included the phrase “Toddlercon Incest” among others.
Miller was previously adjudicated in 2005 for the sexual abuse of several children. At sentencing in this matter, Judge Burgess noted the seriousness of the images in this case and of his prior conduct.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of this case in cooperation with state and local agencies comprising the Alaska Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce (ICAC). Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Alexander prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of the Department of Justice ongoing Project Safe Child (PSC) initiative. In May 2006, DOJ launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood combines federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, identify and rescue victims and to educate the public about safe Internet use, thereby reducing the risk that children might fall prey to online sexual predators. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov or call the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska.