Tarrant County Man Pleads Guilty To Federal Child Pornography Offense

FORT WORTH, TX—James Randall Madewell, formerly of North Richland Hills, Texas, and currently a resident of Austin, Texas, pled guilty yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Charles Bleil in U.S. District Court in Fort Worth to one count of receipt of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Richard B. Roper of the Northern District of Texas.  Madewell, 29, who was allowed to remain on bond, faces a maximum statutory sentence of not less than five years nor more 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and restitution. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 16, 2009, by U.S. District Judge Terry R. Means.

Madewell admitted that between March 5, 2004, and March 20, 2004, he used the Internet to download picture files of minor children engaged in sexually explicit conduct.  In May 2004, the FBI initiated an undercover investigation into Internet file sharing programs or “Peer to Peer” networks that allow an individual to share files with other individuals. The investigation revealed that a particular individual, James R. Madewell, had child pornography images on his computer.

On July 29, 2004, FBI Special Agents along with officers from the North Richland Hills Police Department executed a federal search warrant at Madewell’s residence.  A forensic examination of his computer and related storage media was performed and agents discovered  between 100 and 400 images of child pornography.

The case is being brought as part of 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 FBI and North Richland Hills Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex C. Lewis is prosecuting the case.

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