LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced today that Kenneth Poullard, 44, of Crowley, Louisiana, was sentenced to 10 years in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks for possessing sexually explicit images of juveniles. He was also sentenced to 10 years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender. 

When law enforcement agents learned that Poullard was downloading child pornography to electronic devices in his home, they searched his home on March 13, 2014 and found a desktop computer containing 50 images of child pornography.  Poullard, who was present at the time of the search, admitted to intentionally searching for and downloading images and videos of child pornography.  He pleaded guilty on October 17, 2018.

This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a U.S. Department of Justice nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood combines federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.           

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) also encourage the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at (866) 347-2423.  Investigators are available at all hours to answer hotline calls.  Tips or other information can also be submitted to ICE online by visiting their website at www.ice.gov/exec/forms/hsi-tips/tips.asp or through the Operation Predator smartphone application www.ice.gov/predator/smartphone-app.  Tips may be submitted anonymously.

Homeland Security Investigations and Louisiana Attorney General’s Office High Technology Crime Unit conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamilla A. Bynog prosecuted the case.