Army Master Sergeant Arrested by AFOSI and the FBI

TAMPA—On Wednesday, May 30, 2012, special agents from the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI) and the FBI Innocent Images Task Force (IITF) arrested Army Master Sergeant Thomas Meyer, age 42, at his residence this morning without incident. A federal search warrant was also executed at Meyer’s residence today.

The law enforcement activity was the culmination of investigative efforts by the AFOSI; Largo Police Department; Kenton County Police Department, Kentucky; Pennsylvania State Police; United States Postal Inspection Service; and the FBI.

Meyer will be facing federal charges, including attempted production of child pornography, transportation of child pornography, and transfer of obscene material to an individual under the age of 16. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years, up to 30 years in federal prison for the production charge; a mandatory minimum penalty of five years, up to 20 years in federal prison for the transportation charge; and up to 10 years in federal prison for the transfer of obscene matter charge.

The FBI’s IITF is an intelligence-driven, proactive investigative initiative that combats the proliferation of child pornography and child sexual exploitation facilitated by the Internet. The mission of the IITF is to reduce the vulnerability of children to acts of sexual exploitation and abuse facilitated through computers; to identify and rescue witting and unwitting child victims; and to investigate and prosecute sexual predators who use the Internet to sexually exploit children for personal and financial gain.

The charges in the complaint are merely allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent, unless, and until proven guilty.