MATTHEW BARBER (SENTENCED IN CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CASE)

BUFFALO, N.Y.--Matthew Barber, 39, of Batavia, New York, who was convicted of possession of child pornography on Apr. 16, 2007, was sentenced to six years and two months imprisonment by U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny, U.S. Attorney Terrance P. Flynn of the Western District of New York announced today.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul J. Campana, who handled the case, stated that the defendant had been convicted of possession of child pornography when he admitted that on May 1, 2006, he knowingly possessed child pornography on his computer, including some images that depicted children younger than twelve years old. During today's sentencing, Judge Skretny found that, accounting for sexually explicit videos showing children engaged in sex acts, the defendant possessed the equivalent of more than 300 images of child pornography. Judge Skretny also placed Barber on supervised released for a period of five years following his release date from federal prison. Mr. Barber must also register as a sex offender in any state in which he lives after serving his prison sentence. Other conditions include restrictions upon contacts with minors, and a requirement that Barber's computer activity be subject to monitoring by the United States Probation Office.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

The conviction was the culmination of an investigation on the part of Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), under the direction of Laurie J. Bennett, Special Agent In Charge, Buffalo FBI office.