Jonathan Fend, 21 formerly of Detroit, Michigan was sentenced in Federal District Court yesterday for his conviction of one count of receipt of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Stephen J. Murphy. Fend pleaded guilty on February 1, 2007 and was sentenced by the Honorable Bernard Friedman to 60 months in federal prison to be followed by two years of supervised release.

Fend was identified in an FBI investigation in 2005 when it was discovered that a 13 year old girl in North Carolina was communicating on line with Fend, believing him to be a "hit man". The girl, who had "met" Fend through a My-Space account, was sending messages indicating that she wanted her parents killed. Fend replied, claiming that he would be willing to do so. Fend sent images of himself posing with firearms and discussed his plans on numerous occasions with the girl through YaHoo! Instant Messanger. Fend also established an on-line "romantic" relationship with the girl, as well as two other 13 year olds in North Carolina. All three of the girls knew each other.

Subsequent investigation by the FBI confirmed that Fend=s willingness to act as a "hitman" was fictitious. However, during his chats with the three girls, he was successful in having two of them send unclothed pictures of themselves to him, believing that he was their "boyfriend".

During the execution of a search warrant at Fend=s then home in Detroit, the FBI seized a computer, web camera, weapons and found the child pornographic images that had been sent to Fend, on his computer. There was no evidence that Fend ever re-distributed the pictures.

United States Attorney Stephen Murphy said, "Mr. Fend's encouragement of a troubled young girl in her desire to harm her family, and opportunistic exploitation of the girl and her two friends, cannot be tolerated by society. Through his psychological manipulation of the emotions of these young teens, Fend secured access to child pornographic images.

The perpetuation of the Internet=s child pornography industry depends on situations like this, where the sexual exploitation of children is captured in digital photos by the perpetrator. Fortunately, this case was solved before these images ever found their way to this on-line marketplace."

Murphy added, "This case is a good example of the threat to our children posed by the Internet. Always be aware of who your children are exchanging emails with."

Murphy praised the work of the special agents of the FBI, and Detective Debbie MacKenzie from North Carolina, of the Asheboro Police Department whose dedication to the victims and the time and skill necessary to bring this child exploitation case to conclusion was exemplary.

Assistant United States Attorney John O'Brien, prosecuted case for the United States.