Waterloo Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Distribution and Possession of Child Pornography

A Waterloo, IL, man pled guilty in federal court in East St. Louis to possession and distribution of child pornography and was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison on November 7, 2011, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today.

Alva Hansell, 56, was indicted on April 21, 2010, on charges of distribution and possession of child pornography by a grand jury sitting in East St. Louis. Hansell, at his plea on November 7, 2011, admitted that he had distributed child pornography over the Internet from his home in Waterloo, and that he had possessed approximately 1,300 images and 38 video files that included files of children under the age of 12, some of which contained sadistic and masochistic conduct.

In addition to the 10-year term of imprisonment, Hansell was also sentenced to five years of supervised release after his period of incarceration and to pay $3,000 in restitution as well as a court-imposed special assessments of $200.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ranley R. Killian.