Mars Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child Pornography

A Mars man pleaded guilty in federal court today to a charge of possessing child pornography and was sentenced to 36 moths in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, United States Attorney David J. Hickton said in a statement.

United Stated District Judge Gary L. Lancaster imposed the sentence on

According to information presented to the court during the guilty plea phase of the proceedings, Schrott possessed still images and videos containing child pornography in his computer graphics files.

In an undercover operation connected to the “Innocent Images National Initiative,” FBI agents identified Schrott’s computer as one sharing in excess of 7,500 files that contained child pornography or bore titles indicative of child pornography.

An undercover agent downloaded 93 such computer files, which served as the partial basis for a search warrant executed at Schrott’s home on April 6, 2010.

During the search, agents seized computers and computer equipment, which later were forensically examined.

Schrott's computer was found to have more than 45 videos and 2,000 still images that depicted the sexual exploitation of minor children.

Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Block prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.