• 13
  • October
    2010

Last Friday, 44-year-old James M. of Mesquite, Texas, was sentenced to 22 years in federal prison following his conviction on child pornography charges.

According to evidence introduced during trial, James M. was living with a girlfriend in 2004, but was asked to leave once she discovered his collection of child pornography.

Shortly thereafter, the Dallas Police Department launched a full-blown investigation of James M., culminating in the execution of a search warrant in 2006. The search of his apartment uncovered a significant collection of child pornography, including 1,500 photographs and 118 videos.    

Subsequent to being served with the search warrant, James M. broke his lease and relocated to Mexico.

In April 2009, an arrest warrant was issued for James M. following his indictment by a federal grand jury on one count of possession of child pornography and two counts of receipt of child pornography. Five months later, he was deported to the United States by Mexican officials and taken into custody by the FBI.

Prior to the start of his July trial, James M. elected to part with his attorney and represent himself. During this time, he filed multiple motions that were later ruled frivolous by the court. (Prosecutors indicated that at one point, James M. persuaded a "mentally unstable inmate" at a federal facility located in Missouri to file multiple motions on his behalf.)

While James M. was facing up to 14 years under the federal sentencing guidelines for his conviction, prosecutors urged the judge to consider a sentence closer to the 50-year maximum due to his lack of remorse and the nature of his crimes.

In addition to sentencing James M. to 22 years in prison, the judge also placed him under lifetime supervision following his release.

Names have been withheld to protect the identity/rights of the accused.

Stay tuned for more from our Dallas criminal defense blog ... 

Related Resources:
  
• Mesquite Man Gets Nearly 22 Years in Prison in Child Porn Case (Dallas Morning News)