MAN WITH 2 PRIOR SEX CONVICTIONS PLEADS GUILTY TO
POSSESSING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

BUFFALO, N.Y.--JEFFERY SIKES, 34, of Ceres, New York, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Judge Richard J. Arcara, to two felony charges of Possession of Child Pornography and one felony charge of Attempted Possession of Child Pornography, U.S. Attorney Terrance P. Flynn of the Western District of New York announced today. Sikes faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

The defendant admitted possessing approximately 350 images and 150 videos of child pornography on his computer and a computer disk at his residence in Ceres, New York, and attempting to possess child pornography on another occasion. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marie P. Grisanti, who handled the case, stated that Sikes also admitted to transmitting child pornography through his hot mail account and also by providing access to his Yahoo personal briefcase, which contained child pornography. Grisanti said that Sikes has two prior convictions for sex offenses from the year 2000 for Attempted Sexual Abuse in the First Degree and Possession of Sexual Performance by a Child.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, the Department of Justice 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 plea was the culmination of an investigation on the part of Special Agents of the United States Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector-in-Charge Ronald C. Walker, New York Division and the Jamestown office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the Special Agent-in-Charge Laurie Bennett, and the New York State Division of Parole.

Sentencing is scheduled for July 1, 2008 at 12:30 p.m. EST, in Buffalo, N.Y., in front of Chief Judge Richard J. Arcara.