United States Attorney Richard W. Moore of the Southern District of Alabama announced that Taras Hodivsky, Jr., 40, of Foley, Alabama, was sentenced today in federal court on charges of advertising child pornography and possession of child pornography.  Hodivsky pled guilty to the charges in June of 2019. 

According to court documents filed in connection with his guilty plea, Hodivsky was being investigated by Summerdale Police Department in response to allegations that he had sexually abused a seven year old girl.  During the course of that investigation, Summerdale police officers seized Hodivsky’s cell phone.  A forensic exam of the phone was performed by personnel of the Foley Police Department.  That exam revealed approximately 2,430 still images and 13 video files which depicted the sexual exploitation of children.  A further exam of the phone was completed by the FBI, which revealed that Hodivsky used an encrypted app to exchange images of child pornography with other users.  Federal agents seized a second cell phone from Hodivsky and discovered an additional 802 images of child pornography on that phone.  These images included images of prepubescent children engaged in sex acts and children engaged in sadistic or masochistic conduct.

Chief United States District Court Judge Kristi DuBose imposed a sentence of 360 months imprisonment.  The judge ordered that Hodivsky undergo mental health treatment while incarcerated.  The judge also ordered Hodivsky to serve a fifteen-year term of supervised release beginning upon his discharge from prison.  Upon his release from prison, Hodivsky will be required to register as a sex offender.  Chief Judge DuBose ordered that Hodivsky pay $164,415 in restitution and $12,200 in special assessments. 

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals, federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood and for information about internet safety education, visit www.usdoj.gov/psc

The case was investigated by the Summerdale Police Department, the Foley Police Department, and the FBI.  It was prosecuted in the United States Attorney’s Office by Assistant United States Attorneys Maria Murphy and Kacey Chappelear.