Ohio man sentenced to 33 months for possession of child pornography

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Shane R. Ostrowski, 39, of Bexley, Ohio was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 33-months imprisonment for possessing more than 500 images of children under the age of 12 being sexually exploited after an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio Carter M. Stewart and Special Agent in Charge of the ICE HSI office in Ohio and Michigan Brian Moskowitz announced the sentence handed down today by U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr.

"Ostrowski came to law enforcement's attention as a result of the arrest in January 2009 of a producer and prolific trader of child pornography - an individual found to have traded images of child pornography with approximately 100 different individuals," Stewart said in a sentencing memorandum filed in the case. "Ostrowski was among them."

The trader referred to was a dental technician in Mississippi who is currently awaiting sentencing on charges of production, distribution and receipt of child pornography.

"People who possess child pornography victimize the most vulnerable members of our society," said Moskowitz. "ICE relentlessly pursues predators who sexually abuse children, including physical abuse, or exploitation by possessing, viewing or sharing child pornography."

On Oct. 27, 2009, federal search warrants were executed at Ostrowski's residence and place of employment and his computers were seized. A forensic examination was performed on Ostrowski's laptop computer. The examiner found several chat logs from March 8, 2008, with an accompanying approximate 500 digital images that were clearly child pornography, including images of prepubescent females engaged in anal and vaginal sex with adult males.

Forensic analysis showed that in a series of chats involving Ostrowski on March 8, 2008, several hundred images of child pornography were traded back and forth. ICE agents were able to trace back the IP addresses to Ostrowski's residence and business.

Ostrowski pleaded guilty on June 8, 2010 to one count of possession of child pornography. Ostrowski was ordered to serve five years under court supervision after his prison time. He will be required to register as a sex offender anywhere that he lives, works or goes to school. Judge Sargus recommended Ostrowski be incarcerated at a Bureau of Prisons facility that provides treatment for sex offenders.

Stewart commended the ICE HSI special agents who investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Hunter, who prosecuted the case.

This investigation is part of Operation Predator, a nationwide ICE initiative to protect children from sexual predators, including those who travel overseas for sex with minors, Internet child pornographers, criminal alien sex offenders, and child sex traffickers. Since Operation Predator was launched in July 2003, ICE agents have arrested more than 12,000 individuals.

ICE encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at 1-866-DHS-2ICE. This hotline is staffed around the clock by investigators. Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, at 1-800-843-5678 or http://www.cybertipline.com.

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