Ex-Naval petty officer admits distributing child pornography | USAO-SDGA

BRUNSWICK, GA: A former US Navy corporal stationed at Kings Bay submarine base awaits conviction after admitting to distributing child pornography.

Anthony Gabriel Ortiz, 23, of Kings Bay, Georgia, pleaded guilty to the U.S. District Court for child pornography distribution, said David H. Estes, acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The indictment provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, up to 40 years, along with substantial fines and redress, followed by up to life imprisonment and registration as a sex offender.

There is no parole in the federal system.

“The proliferation of child pornography perpetuates the victimization of innocent children endlessly,” said incumbent US attorney Estes. “In admitting these charges, Anthony Ortiz will be held accountable for his despicable contributions to this exploitative trade.”

As described in court documents and testimony, Ortiz was in the U.S. Navy assigned to Naval Nuclear Power Training Command, Naval Weapons Station in Charleston, SC, when Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) investigators found online images of children in early 2019, that is shared through a messaging application. RCMP alerted the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Cyber ​​Crimes Center and HSI contacted the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS).

Ortiz, a third class sergeant, was transferred to Kings Bay Submarine Base in Kingsland, Georgia, in April 2019, where he was later interviewed by HSI and NCIS investigators. He was taken into custody after admitting to possessing and distributing child pornography over the internet and several pictures and videos of child sexual exploitation were found on electronic devices in his possession.

“Mr. Ortiz deserves to be held fully accountable for these truly reprehensible crimes,” said special agent Thomas Cannizzo of NCIS Field Service Southeast. “NCIS exists to protect the Department of the Navy personnel and their families from harm We remain committed to working with our law enforcement partners to track down and fully investigate sex offenders who exploit and exploit vulnerable children. “

“Every time one of these disturbing images is shared or viewed, the subject is sacrificed again, causing a cycle of endless trauma. This is why it is so important for the safety of the children in our communities to find and arrest the people who are involved in this exploitative behavior. ” “To stop the prosecution of these predators, community partners, parents, family and friends must work together.”

Anyone with information about suspected sexual exploitation of children can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 800-843-5678 or https://report.cybertip.org/.

This investigation was conducted under the auspices of the US Department of Justice’s Safe Childhood project and was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. The case is being pursued for the United States by US Assistant Attorney Jennifer Kirkland and Project Safe Childhood Coordinator Tara M. Lyons.