Highlands Ranch Man Sentenced to Prison for Possession of Child Pornography

May 28, 2010 - DENVER—Wayne Cook, age 45, of Highlands Ranch, Colorado, was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Court Judge Robert E. Blackburn to serve 84 months (seven years) in federal prison for possession of child pornography, United States Attorney David Gaouette and FBI Special Agent in Charge James Davis announced. Following his prison sentence, Cook was ordered to serve five years on supervised release. Judge Blackburn also ordered Cook to participate in a sex offender evaluation program as well as register as a sex offender. Cook was also told that he is subject to unannounced searches, including his residence, vehicle, computer or other electronic media. The defendant appeared at the sentencing hearing free on bond. He was ordered to report to a Bureau of Prisons facility after designation.

Wayne Cook was first charged by Information on January 14, 2010. To be charged by Information a defendant waives the Constitutional right to be indicted by a grand jury. On February 1, 2010, an amended Information was filed. Cook pled guilty before Judge Blackburn on February 3, 2010. He was sentenced on May 25, 2010.

According to the stipulated facts contained in the plea agreement, on April 23, 2008, an FBI agent in Oklahoma, operating in an undercover capacity, connected to a “peer to peer” network, then searched for files of child pornography available for downloading. Further investigation revealed that the child pornography came from a Highlands Ranch address belonging to Wayne Cook. On October 31, 2008, FBI special agents executed a federal search warrant at the Highlands Ranch address. Agents seized a computer, which was later subjected to forensic examination. That examination revealed that the computer contained approximately 2,000 images and 30 videos of suspected child pornography. All of the images contained on the computer depicted children under the age of 12 years old. The images portray sadistic or masochistic conduct or other depictions of violence.

According to the plea agreement, during the execution of the warrant, Mr. Cook was present and agreed to speak with FBI agents. Cook reported that the “house computer” was in the basement, and contained pictures of child pornography.

The Cook case was investigated by Special Agents and Task Force officers with the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Innocent Images Task Force.

The defendant was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Judith Smith.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s 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, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.