December 8, 2006
PRESS RELEASE

12/8/2006 Lee, New York, man was sentenced in connection with child pornography and Federal firearms offenses.

United States Attorney Glenn T. Suddaby announced that on Wednesday, December 6, 2006 in United States District Court in Utica John F. Reap, age 40 of 8838 Karlen Road, Lee, New York, was sentenced in connection with child pornography and Federal firearms offenses. Reap was sentenced to serve 210 months in Federal prison following his conviction for Transmitting Child Pornography on the Internet. His prison term will be followed by twenty (20) years of supervised release with special conditions restricting his use of computers and requiring him to register as a sex offender with State authorities. Reap was also sentenced to serve ten (10) years in federal prison for possession of ammunition as a convicted felon, followed by three (3) years of supervised release, which will be served concurrently with his child pornography sentence.

John F. Reap was arrested following an internet undercover sting investigation. A police detective from the Orland Park (Illinois) Police Department received child pornography from Reap, via the internet, after an e-mail exchange. Law Enforcement authorities in Illinois then accessed records showing that the AOL account holder was John F. Reap in Oneida County, New York. The investigation was then forwarded to the Federal Bureau of Investigation ("FBI") Utica Office and the Oneida County Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force ("ICAC"). The Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force is a joint Federal, State and County task force, which investigates internet crimes against children, including sexual exploitation of minors and child pornography. It consists of members from the FBI, New York State Police, Utica Police Department, Oneida County Sheriff's Department and other agencies as needed. As a result of their investigation, ICAC members executed a search warrant at the defendant's residence on June 9, 2005. The search of his computer revealed that it contained over 700 images of child pornography. The police also found more than 3,000 rounds of ammunition. Reap was prohibited from possessing ammunition as a result of an earlier conviction while in the military by a General Courts Marshal for felony level offenses. The Syracuse Office of the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms ("ATF") investigated the firearms offense and other related materials found at the defendant's apartment.

The defendant was initially arrested on New York State charges. His case was reviewed by the Oneida County District Attorney's Office and the United States Attorney's Office. On July 5, 2005 a Federal Grand Jury sitting in Syracuse returned an Indictment charging the defendant with Transmission of Child Pornography, Possession of Ammunition as a Convicted Felon and other offenses. On May 18, 2006, the defendant pled guilty to an Information charging him with Transmitting child pornography and unlawfully possessing ammunition as a convicted felon. He also consented to the forfeiture of his computer and related items.

A joint prosecution by the United States Attorney's Office and the Oneida County District Attorney's Office led to these convictions in United States District Court. The case was investigated by the Orland Park (Illinois) Police Department, the Oneida County Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force ("ICAC"), the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms("ATF"), The Federal Bureau of Investigation ("FBI") and the United States Department of Defense Criminal Investigative Service ("DCIS"). Further inquiries may be directed to Assistant United States Attorney Richard R. Southwick at 315-448-0672.