Former School Teacher in Duval County Sentenced to More Than 17 Years in Federal Prison for Receipt of Child Pornography

JACKSONVILLE, FL—U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard today sentenced Ripley Ridenour (55, of Jacksonville) to 210 months in federal prison and lifetime supervised release for receipt of child pornography. The court further ordered Ridenour to register under federal and state law as a sex offender and forfeit computer media used as part of the crime. Ridenour pled guilty on August 30, 2010.

According to court documents, in early-2009, the Federal Bureau of Investigation began investigating the use of file sharing software to trade child pornography over the Internet. During the course of this investigation, the FBI identified Ridenour's computer as having numerous child pornography images available for downloading over the Internet. In May 2010 the FBI made contact with Ridenour at his residence in Jacksonville. He agreed to speak with the FBI and stated that he used his computer to obtain child pornography over the Internet. The FBI then obtained a search warrant and seized several computer related items from Ridenour's residence.

A subsequent forensic examination of the seized computer media revealed over 200 images, approximately 11 videos of child pornography, and various chats discussing Ridenour's sexual interest in young children.

This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein. This case 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 United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's 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, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.