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The following was taken from a press release distributed by the United States Attorney’s Office – Southern District of Georgia on December 12, 2024:
RICHMOND COUNTY, Ga. – A former U.S. Air Force airman has been sentenced to federal prison for possession of child sexual abuse images.
Jacob Christian Butler, 33, of Augusta, was sentenced to 84 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of Child Pornography, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge J. Randal Hall also ordered Butler to register as a sex offender and to serve 15 years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“Possessing child pornography perpetuates the victimization of child sexual abuse survivors,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “With our law enforcement partners, we will continue to protect our most vulnerable citizens.”
As described in court documents and testimony, Butler was a U.S. Air Force Airman First Class assigned to Fort Eisenhower with a high level of security clearance. A security system at a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF) detected a prohibited cellular device in Butler’s possession when he entered the facility, and security personnel seized the phone.
Investigators searched the device and found multiple images of child sexual abuse. Additional devices containing hundreds of similar images and videos later were found during a search of Butler’s residence.
While Judge Hall determined restitution is owed to victims identified in the images, he agreed to delay the final determination of restitution pending further investigation.
“This prosecution is another example of law enforcement working together to protect our children,” said FBI Atlanta Assistant Special Agent in Charge Brian Ozden. “FBI Atlanta will continue to pursue predators and hold them accountable for their actions.”
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, and prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason W. Blanchard and the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Counsel.
Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 800-843-5678, or https://report.cybertip.org/.