Former Titusville Man Sentenced to 50 Years in Jail for Child Pornography Offenses

ERIE, PA—A former resident of Titusville, Pennsylvania has been sentenced in federal court to 50 years in prison and lifetime supervised release on his conviction of violating federal laws relating to the sexual exploitation of children, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.

Senior United States District Judge Maurice B. Cohill, Jr. imposed the sentence on Craig Alan Finley, 35.

According to information presented to the court, the evidence presented at trial established that Finley used his cell phone to produce videos of himself sexually assaulting a10-year-old boy.

These videos were then distributed on the Internet. The evidence also revealed that Finley received and was in possession of over 30,000 images and movies depicting minors, many younger than 10 years of age, engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Finley also distributed his enormous collection of child pornography to others on the Internet.

Launched in February 2006, Project Safe Childhood is 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.

Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

U.S. Attorney Hickton commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Finley.

Former Titusville Man Sentenced to 50 Years in Jail for Child Pornography Offenses

ERIE, PA—A former resident of Titusville, Pennsylvania has been sentenced in federal court to 50 years in prison and lifetime supervised release on his conviction of violating federal laws relating to the sexual exploitation of children, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.

Senior United States District Judge Maurice B. Cohill, Jr. imposed the sentence on Craig Alan Finley, 35.

According to information presented to the court, the evidence presented at trial established that Finley used his cell phone to produce videos of himself sexually assaulting a10-year-old boy.

These videos were then distributed on the Internet. The evidence also revealed that Finley received and was in possession of over 30,000 images and movies depicting minors, many younger than 10 years of age, engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Finley also distributed his enormous collection of child pornography to others on the Internet.

Launched in February 2006, Project Safe Childhood is 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.

Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

U.S. Attorney Hickton commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Finley.

Suspects in Multi-State Mortgage Fraud Scheme Charged in Chattanooga

Joshua O. Dobson, age 34, of Kimball, Tennessee; and Paul E. Gott, III, age 39, of Jasper, Tennessee, appeared today in federal court before the Honorable Susan K. Lee, United States Magistrate Judge, on an indictment charging them with wire fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343; and money laundering in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1957. Dobson and Gott defrauded hundreds of investors in California, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, and Virginia. The total loss exceeds $45 million.

The investigation was a joint effort by the Knoxville Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Chattanooga Resident Agency, and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division.

Suspects in Multi-State Mortgage Fraud Scheme Charged in Chattanooga

Joshua O. Dobson, age 34, of Kimball, Tennessee; and Paul E. Gott, III, age 39, of Jasper, Tennessee, appeared today in federal court before the Honorable Susan K. Lee, United States Magistrate Judge, on an indictment charging them with wire fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343; and money laundering in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1957. Dobson and Gott defrauded hundreds of investors in California, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, and Virginia. The total loss exceeds $45 million.

The investigation was a joint effort by the Knoxville Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Chattanooga Resident Agency, and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division.

Michael Bryant, Jr. Sentenced in U.S. District Court

The United States Attorney’s Office announced that during a federal court session in Billings on May 9, 2012 before Senior U.S. District Judge Jack D. Shanstrom, Michael Bryant, Jr., a 48-year-old resident of Lame Deer and an enrolled member of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe of Indians, appeared for sentencing. Bryant was sentenced to a term of:

■Prison: 46 months

■Special assessment: $200

■Supervised release: three years

Bryant was sentenced in connection with his guilty plea to two domestic assaults by a habitual offender.

In an offer of proof filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Vince Carroll, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:

On February 28, 2011, the first victim was living with Bryant in Birney, on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation. Bryant grabbed the victim and dragged her off their bed onto the floor. Bryant then pulled her hair, repeatedly punched and kicked her, and bit her fingers. Bryant then threatened her that if she told anyone what had happened, he would hurt her.

On May 7, 2011, another victim was living with Bryant in Birney. Bryant woke the victim by yelling at her because he could not find his truck keys. Bryant proceeded to choke the victim until she almost passed out.

Because there is no parole in the federal system, the “truth in sentencing” guidelines mandate that Bryant will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, Bryant does have the opportunity to earn a sentence reduction for “good behavior.” However, this reduction will not exceed 15 percent of the overall sentence.

The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.