Former Lubbock Resident Pleads Guilty to Child Porn

Former Lubbock, Texas, Resident Admits Possessing Child Pornography

          LUBBOCK, Texas -- Miles Robert Flinn, 25, formerly of Lubbock, Texas, appeared in federal court in Lubbock today and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings  to one count of possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Saldaa of the Northern District of Texas.  Flinn faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a lifetime of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.  Judge Cummings ordered a presentence investigation report with a sentencing date to be set after the completion of that report.   Flinn, who is on bond, is currently a resident of Bradenton, Florida.

            According to the factual resume filed in the case, while living in Lubbock, Flinn used a file-sharing program on his computer in his residence to download images and videos from the Internet, including child pornography.  Flinn was found to be in possession of the child pornography on his computer hard drive on July 26, 2011.

            This matter was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit  www.usdoj.gov/psc   For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."

            U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Lubbock Police Department's Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force are investigating.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven M. Sucsy is in charge of the prosecution.