A United States national residing in Victoria has been sentenced to two years' imprisonment for possessing and producing child abuse material. The man, 51, was sentenced by the Victorian County Court in Bendigo on Wednesday 3 July, 2024 after pleading guilty in June, 2024 to three child abuse related offences. The Victorian Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team JACET, comprising AFP and Victoria Police, started investigating the man after receiving information from NSW Police and the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation ACCCE in December, 2022, which was identified during a separate child exploitation investigation. During the search investigators located several electronic devices, including a mobile phone, found to contain child abuse material. The electronic devices were seized for further forensic examination. The man was arrested and charged with one Commonwealth offence relating to the possession of online child abuse material. He was later released on bail. In September, 2023, following further forensic examination of the man's electronic devices, he was further charged with two statebased child abuse offences, including the production of sexually explicit child abuse material. The man has been sentenced to two years' imprisonment for the statebased offending, with a nonparole period of 14 months. He was sentenced to 14 months' imprisonment for the Commonwealth offending. He will spend 17 months in jail before he is eligible to spend the remainder of his sentence on a recognisance release order. AFP Detective Acting Inspector Scot Kennedy said the AFP would continue to work closely with its local, Commonwealth and international law enforcement partners to protect children and bring to justice those who exploited or harmed them. "This is not a victimless crime. Children are not commodities to be used for the abhorrent gratification of sexual predators," Acting Insp Kennedy said. "Child abuse causes significant harm to victims and they suffer each time images or videos of their abuse is accessed and shared.". The AFP and its partners are committed to stopping child exploitation and abuse and the ACCCE is driving a collaborative national approach to combatting child abuse. The ACCCE brings together specialist expertise and skills in a central hub, supporting investigations into online child sexual exploitation and developing prevention strategies focused on creating a safer online environment. Members of the public who have information about people involved in child abuse are urged to contact theACCCE. If you know abuse is happening right now or a child is at risk, call police immediately on 000. If you or someone you know is impacted by child sexual abuse and online exploitation,support servicesare available. Research conducted by the ACCCE in 2020 revealed only about half of parents talked to their children about online safety. Advice and support for parents and carers about how they can help protect children online can be found at theThinkUKnowwebsite, an AFPled education program designed to prevent online child sexual exploitation.
A US national in Victoria sentenced to two years for possessing and producing child abuse material. The man was arrested after an investigation involving AFP, Victoria Police, NSW Police, and ACCCE. He was charged with state and Commonwealth offences after electronic devices were found with child abuse material. The man will serve 17 months in jail before becoming eligible for a recognisance release order. AFP emphasizes the harm caused by child abuse and urges the public to report any information on child abuse to the ACCCE or contact the police in case of immediate danger. Parents are encouraged to discuss online safety with their children, and resources are available through the ThinkUKnow website for prevention.