Hardin County Man Guilty of Child Pornography Violations

BEAUMONT – A Silsbee man has pleaded guilty to federal child pornography violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.

Michael Joseph Fontenot, 50, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography today before U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone.

According to public information, Fontenot was found in possession of over 600 images of child pornography, including some images depicting a prepubescent minor engaging in sexual activity.

Fontenot faces up to 10 years in federal prison at sentencing.  The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.  A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.

This case is 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 Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), 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 to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Grove.

###

Davilyn Walston

Public Affairs Officer/Law Enforcement Coordinator

U.S. Attorney’s Office

Eastern District of Texas