Greenville, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Keith D. Cook, age 38, of Greer, South Carolina, was sentenced in federal court after pleading guilty to possession of child pornography.  United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins, of Spartanburg, sentenced Cook to 10 years in federal prison and ordered that he serve 20 years under court-ordered supervision after his prison sentence is complete. 

Evidence presented to the court established that on January 18, 2017, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Cook’s home after receiving information that he was uploading child pornography to a mobile device.  Law enforcement recovered Cook’s cell phone and located multiple images of child pornography, some involving prepubescent minors.  Cook was questioned and admitted to downloading the child pornography that led to the search warrant.  More child pornography was discovered on a work computer at Cook’s place of business.   

The case was investigated by agents with the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office and the ICE – Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Bill Watkins of the Greenville office prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States 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, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

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