Chico Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child Pornography

March 23, 2010 - SACRAMENTO, CA—United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced today that DOUGLAS WILLIAM HOWAY, 44, of Chico, pleaded guilty Friday before United States District Judge Edward J. Garcia to possession of child pornography.

This case is the product of an extensive joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Yuba County Sheriff’s Department, and the Chesterfield County (Virginia) Sheriff’s Department.

According to Assistant United States Attorney Kyle Reardon, who is prosecuting the case, from July to September 2008, HOWAY, an airman stationed at Beale Air Force Base in Yuba County, communicated with an undercover (UC) detective in Chesterfield County, Virginia on a Yahoo chat room.

The detective accepted an invitation to view video footage from a person identified as “whoway2000.” The video showed HOWAY masturbating. The UC sent an instant message (IM) to HOWAY claiming to be a 14-year-old girl. HOWAY responded that it was “okay.” “Whoway2000” was added to the UC’s platonic chat list and the name “Douglas Howay” appeared on the list.

On three other occasions HOWAY engaged in sexually explicit chats with the UC and sent indecent images of himself. Local police executed a search warrant while HOWAY was online with the UC. On his computer screen was an open web camera showing HOWAY’s room and the ongoing chat with the UC. A forensic search of HOWAY’s computer and other computer equipment found 399 visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Among these images were pictures of children under the age of five being sexually assaulted by adult males.

HOWAY separated from the military following his arrest and is no longer a member of the Armed Forces.

HOWAY is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Garcia on June 4, 2010, at 10:00 a.m. The maximum statutory penalty up to 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, and a lifetime period of supervised release. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.