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March 26, 2007
DISTRIBUTING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY NETS HOCKLEY MAN LONG PRISON TERM
(HOUSTON) Markus Roberts, 28, of Hockley, Texas, has been sentenced to more than 17 years in federal prison for distributing child pornography and a life time of supervised release with strict conditions, Untied States Attorney Don DeGabrielle announced today.
At a hearing Thursday, March 22, 2007,in Houston United States District Judge Keith P. Ellison ordered Roberts to serve 210 months in federal prison, without parole, to be followed by a life time of supervised release. Roberts has been ordered to register as a sex offender in any state in which he resides, is employed, carries a vocation or is a student. Furthermore, for the rest of his life, Roberts is prohibited from residing, working, accessing or loitering within 100 feet of school yards, parks, playgrounds, arcades or other places primarily used by children under the age of 18 or where children congregate. The Houston court has strictly prohibited Roberts from living in any home where a child under the age of 18 resides and from having contact with any minor without the express written permission of the court. The court has further placed strict prohibitions against computer use by Roberts. Lastly, Roberts must participate in the collection of DNA samples and submit to mental health treatment as ordered.
Indicted in September 2006, Roberts plead guilty a month later in October, 2006 to distributing images of child pornography on his computer from March, 2005 through August, 2005. Roberts was accused of distributing child pornography and possessing on a computer more than 2,500 images and movies of child pornography which depicted adult men engaged in sexual conduct with prepubescent children, some as young as infants.
The investigation leading to the charges against Roberts was conducted by the Special Agents of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Cyber-Crimes Operation Predator Squad which focuses its attention on investigating offenses involving the exploitation of children.
"ICE remains dedicated to protecting our children and neighborhoods from sexual predators," said Robert Rutt, ICE's special agent-in-charge for the Houston office of Investigations. "This sentence illustrates the seriousness of the offense."
ICE is a partner with the United States Attorney’s Office and other federal state and local agencies in Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a Department of Justice nationwide initiative, launched by Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales in February 2006, 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/.
Roberts has been in federal custody without bond since his arrest in September 2006. He remains in custody to serve his sentence.
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