A man from Morris, Alabama, has been sentenced to over 15 years in federal prison for possessing child pornography. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
Joel Wesley Dillard, 47, received a sentence of 189 months in prison and will be subject to supervised release for the rest of his life. In June, Dillard pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography.
According to court documents, the investigation began when the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a tip from Snapchat about videos uploaded by Dillard that depicted child sexual abuse. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) traced the online activity back to an address in Morris, Alabama, and referred the case to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA). Authorities executed a search warrant at Dillard’s home and seized 17 electronic devices. A forensic review uncovered more than 13,000 images of child pornography on those devices. Investigators also found messages on Telegram where Dillard agreed to trade illegal material with others.
“If you suspect or become aware of possible sexual exploitation of a child, please contact law enforcement. To alert the FBI Birmingham Office, call 205-326-6166. Reports can also be filed with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) or online at www.cybertipline.org,” stated officials.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse through collaboration among federal, state, and local agencies. More information about this program is available at www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The investigation involved cooperation between the FBI, GBI and ALEA. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel S. McBrayer prosecuted the case.
