SWEETWATER, TEXAS, MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO POSSESSION OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY


LUBBOCK, Tx. — George Boyce McFaul, III, of Sweetwater, Texas, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court in Lubbock to one count of possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Richard B. Roper. McFaul entered his plea before U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings who ordered a pre-sentence investigation with sentencing to be scheduled after that investigation is completed. McFaul, 51, faces a maximum statutory sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine and must register as a sex offender. He is presently in federal custody.

According to documents filed in Court, in September 2006, McFaul knowingly possessed a computer hard disk drive which contained one or more images of child pornography. The images of child pornography that were located on McFaul's computer were collected by McFaul, who admitted conducting searches to obtain images of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct with adults.

This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov

U.S. Attorney Roper commended the investigative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Sweetwater Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven M. Sucsy of the Lubbock, Texas, U.S. Attorney’s Office.