Sentencing is set for Nov. 14th.
Greenbelt, Md (KM)) A man with homes in Silver Spring and Burtonsville pleaded guilty on Friday to possession of child pornography. Frank Dunn, 60, entered the plea in US District Court in Greenbelt.
According to the US Attorney’s Office for Maryland, Dunn admitted he distributed child pornography over the internet using file-sharing software.
Federal officials say between April and August, 2016, an undercover police officer downloaded about 500 images and 15 videos that Dunn made available on the internet.
Law enforcement agencies executed a search and seizure operation on his Silver Spring and Burtonsville homes on May 31st, 2017, and confiscated more than 14, 000 images and 285 videos of children engaging in sexually explicit conduct. The images and videos contained about 1,123, files involving minors identified as victims of child pornography by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The abuse of infants and toddlers depicted in the files show sadomasochism, or violence against children.
As part of his plea agreement, Dunn must register as a sex offender where he lives, works and goes to school. Sentencing is scheduled for November 14th, 2018 at 10:00 AM.. Dunn could get between four and nine years in prison, the US Attorney’s Office says.
This case was brought by Operation Safe Childhood, an initiative from the US Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.
By Kevin McManus