Child Pornography on Defendant’s Computer

Rowlett, Texas Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison Without Parole on Child Pornography Conviction Computer Repairman Discovered Child Pornography on Defendant’s Computer


April 22, 2010 - DALLAS, TX—Dwayne Cavanaugh, 40, of Rowlett, Texas, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jorge A. Solis to 12 years in federal prison, to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release, following his guilty plea in December 2009 to one count of receiving child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney James T. Jacks of the Northern District of Texas. Following sentencing, Judge Solis remanded Cavanaugh to the custody of the U.S. Marshal.

According to documents filed, Cavanaugh brought his computer to Elite Computer Networks (ECN) for repair because it would not connect to the Internet. A repairman at ECN informed Cavanaugh that he would have to reformat his computer which would erase the hard drive and clean the virus. The repairman discovered files under a file labeled “Limewire” that showed the virus. After seeing files with names “children,” “rape,” and “abuse,” the repairman immediately called the Rowlett Police Department. When officers responded, they examined the computer and saw file previews on the computer which depicted lewd and lascivious images of prepubescent children.

On November 26, 2008, while Rowlett Police officers were obtaining search warrants for Cavanaugh’s computer and residence, as well as an arrest warrant, Cavanaugh appeared at ECN and demanded his computer. Because of the disturbance he was causing, ECN contacted the Rowlett Police Department and he was taken into custody.

A forensic exam performed on his computer revealed more than 50 videos of child pornography which Cavanaugh admitted downloading from the file-sharing software Limewire.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), 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 (CEOS), PSC 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 PSC, please visit http://www.projectsafechildhood.gov/

The case was investigated by the Rowlett Police Department and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Camille Sparks was in charge of the prosecution.