Former LC security guard sentenced for possession of child pornography
Jake Rhodes, 22, of Lake Charles, La., was sentenced to five years in federal prison, for possession of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced
on Thursday. Rhodes also received lifetime supervised release following confinement. The sentence was handed down by U. S. District Judge Patricia Minaldi.
Rhodes, who was a security guard at a mall in Lake Charles, La., pleaded guilty in December 2009, to one count of possession of child pornography. Hard core videos of child pornography was found on a computer that the defendant had rented from Aaron’s Rental in Lake Charles, La. After Rhodes returned the computer back to the store, the owner discovered the videos had been saved on the computer and included children as young as six months old. During an interview with law enforcement, Rhodes confessed to downloading the child pornography from the internet. Between the time that he confessed to downloading child pornography and the time of the defendant’s arrest, he had purchased another computer and begun downloading more hardcore child pornography.
The case was investigated by the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations/ICE and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Luke Walker.
LC man sentenced to 40 years for child pornography
Eric Boutte, 38, of Lake Charles, La., was sentenced on Thursday for production and possession of child pornography, U. S. Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced.
Boutte was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison and supervised release for the rest of his life following release from prison. The sentence was handed down by U. S. District Judge Patricia Minaldi.
Boutte pleaded guilty in May 2010, to one count of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. Boutte was involved in an internet file sharing program called Lime Wire, which allows people to search for movies, music or child pornography and download images or movies from other Lime Wire user’s computers. Pursuant to an investigation by the Louisiana State Police and Homeland Security Investigations/ICE, it was revealed that the defendant was downloading hard core child pornography which included pornography involving very young children and infants. The defendant admitted to downloading the hard core child pornography. Boutte also admitted to molesting and videotaping an 11 year old boy’s private areas and videotaping a 4-year old boy wherein Boutte could be seen sexually exploiting the boy.
At sentencing, Judge Minaldi stated that the case was as “disturbing” as any she had presided over in over 20 years. She further stated that this was especially true considering the sadistic nature of the child pornography the defendant downloaded and the exploitation of actual children in his neighborhood.
“We will continue to aggressively prosecute those who exploit the children of our community. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, along with its local, state, and federal partners, are firmly committed in the fight against all aspects of child production, distribution and possession offenses. These lengthy sentences serve as a stern warning to all predators that we will protect the most vulnerable members of our society,” said Finley.
The case was investigated by the Louisiana State Police and Homeland Security Investigations/ICE and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Luke Walker.
