Orlando, Florida – United States District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced Fred Lee White (41, Titusville) to 13 years in federal prison for receiving images over the internet that depicted child sexual abuse. White was also ordered to serve a 15-year term of supervised release and to register as a sex offender.
White had pleaded guilty in September 2021.
According to court documents, the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office arrested White on May 28, 2020, for exposing himself to a 10-year-old child who lived in his neighborhood. Later, a neighbor found an unlocked electronic tablet that belonged to White and reported to law enforcement that the tablet contained several images that appeared to depict the sexual abuse of children.
A forensic examination of White’s tablet revealed several videos White had recorded from an application on the tablet. The app was a social network service on which account holders can post livestream broadcasts of material recorded on electronic devices. Other users with accounts could choose to watch the broadcast and send real time comments and rewards to the broadcaster.
Approximately 114 video recordings of the app were found on White’s tablet. The videos depicted children taking selfie-style videos of themselves, in various stages of undress, while White and other users were viewing the live broadcasts. Some of the videos depicted minor girls exposing and sexually abusing themselves in return for rewards offered by those like White who were viewing the broadcasts.
“Every time a predator shares child pornography it re-victimizes a young child,” said HSI Orlando Assistant Special Agent in Charge David Pezzutti. “Thanks to HSI and our law enforcement partnership with the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, he will be held accountable for his crimes.”
This case was investigated by the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Gardella.
This is another case 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, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Making sure that victims of federal crimes are treated with compassion, fairness and respect.