STATESVILLE, N.C. – A federal jury in Statesville has
convicted Thomas Arthur Rittenhouse, 75, of Boone, N.C. of transporting and
possessing child pornography, announced Andrew Murray, U.S. Attorney for the
Western District of North Carolina. U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell Sr.
presided over the trial.
“Protecting the most vulnerable amongst us, our children,
remains a top priority of my Office,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “This
defendant sought out, possessed, and transported images of the rape and abuse
of children for his sordid personal use. Along with our law enforcement
partners, my Office will ensure that this defendant, and anyone else engaged in
similar horrific conduct, are brought to justice.”
According to filed court documents and evidence presented at
trial, between 2014 and 2017, Rittenhouse used peer-to-peer computer networks
to obtain dozens of videos depicting children being sexually abused. Rittenhouse then made child abuse videos
available for download by other users of the peer-to-peer network. Evidence at
trial showed that the computer Rittenhouse used to transport and possess child
pornography reflected that Rittenhouse had used search terms associated with
child abuse material to seek out such videos and images. A forensic analysis of
video files seized from Rittenhouse’s computer showed adult men sexually
abusing prepubescent children.
Rittenhouse was convicted of two counts of transporting
child pornography, which carries a minimum term of five years and a maximum
term of 20 years in prison per count, and a $250,000 fine. He was also
convicted of one count of possessing child pornography depicting a prepubescent
minor or a minor under the age of twelve, which carries a maximum prison term
of 20 years and a fine of up to $250,000.
In making today’s announcement U.S. Attorney Murray thanked
the Boone Police Department and the North Carolina State Bureau of
Investigation for their investigation of this case, and Homeland Security
Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for their assistance.
Assistant United States Attorneys Alfredo DeLaRosa and
Taylor J. Phillips prosecuted the case for the United States.
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