A federal jury in Dallas convicted a Texas man today for receiving and possessing images of child sexual abuse.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Andrew Kasnetz, 59, of Dallas, used a peer-to-peer network to download images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of prepubescent children. Law enforcement in Dallas obtained a warrant to search Kasnetz’s residence and discovered Kasnetz actively downloading child sexual abuse material when they entered the home. A search of Kasnetz’s digital devices revealed tens of thousands of images and videos of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Kasnetz was convicted of one count of receipt of child pornography and two counts of possession of prepubescent child pornography. He faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton for the Northern District of Texas, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, and Acting Special Agent in Charge James J. Dwyer of the FBI Dallas Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Dallas Field Office, Dallas Police Department, and Garland Police Department investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Eduardo Palomo of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Shane Read for the Northern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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 to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
