Kirtland Airman Charged with Federal Child Pornography Offenses

ALBUQUERQUE—This morning, Shabaka Green, 25, a United States Air Force Airman First Class C3 stationed at Kirtland Air Force Base, appeared before Chief United States Magistrate Judge Richard L. Puglisi on a criminal complaint charging him with receipt, possession, and distribution of child pornography. If convicted of distribution and receipt of child pornography, Green faces a minimum five-year to a maximum 20-year term of imprisonment. If convicted of possession of child pornography, Green faces up to 10 years’ imprisonment. Green also faces up to a life-time of supervised release, a maximum $250,000 fine, and restitution as ordered by the court if convicted of any child pornography offense. Green remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing scheduled for February 16, 2011.

United States Attorney Kenneth J. Gonzales said Green was arrested on February 11, 2011 at Kirtland Air Force Base based on evidence developed during an undercover investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The criminal complaint alleges that on December 2010, the Detroit Division of the FBI alerted the Albuquerque Division of the FBI that an undercover investigative session utilizing an enhanced version of the publicly available Limewire program, a peer-to-peer file-sharing program, had undercover evidence that a certain Internet Protocol (IP) address was being used to download images and videos of minors involved in sexually explicit conduct (child pornography). Subsequent investigation revealed that Green was the subscriber for the IP address. The complaint alleges that the FBI obtained a search warrant for Green’s residence based on the evidence obtained during the undercover investigation session and executed the search warrant on February 9, 2011. Concurrent with the search of Green’s residence, investigators interviewed Green regarding his involvement in distribution, receipt, and possession of child pornography. After being advised of and waiving his constitutional rights, Green admitted possessing hundreds of child pornography images on his computer. He also admitted that he began downloading and sharing child pornography when he was 18 years old.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Charlyn E. Rees and was investigated by the Albuquerque and Detroit Divisions of the FBI, with assistance from the United States Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Homeland Security Investigations of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the New Mexico Computer Analysis and Response Team (CART).

It 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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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.projectsafechildhood.gov.

The case also was brought as part of the New Mexico Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force whose mission it is to locate, track, and capture Internet child sexual predators and Internet child pornographers in New Mexico. There are 61 federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies associated with the task force, which is funded by a grant administered by the NMAGO. Anyone with information relating to suspected child predators and suspected child abuse is encouraged to contact federal or local law enforcement.

A complaint is only an accusation. All criminal defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.