A man from Gulfport, Mississippi has been sentenced to 87 months in federal prison after being found in possession of images and videos depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The sentencing also includes twenty-five years of supervised release.
In 2020, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Gulfport identified Nicholas Snyder, who is now 29 years old, as possessing illegal materials involving minors. Authorities seized Snyder’s cellphone in May 2020 during a joint operation with the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office Cybercrime Division. A forensic examination conducted by the Attorney General’s office revealed that Snyder had multiple images and videos of children involved in sexually explicit acts, including material featuring children under five years old.
Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon for the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Eric P. DeLaune of Homeland Security Investigations announced the sentencing.
The investigation was carried out by HSI and the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office Cybercrime Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lee Smith and Andrea Jones prosecuted the case.
This prosecution falls under Project Safe Childhood, a national program initiated by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to address child sexual exploitation and abuse through coordinated efforts at the federal, state, and local levels. The initiative aims to identify offenders using the Internet to exploit children and rescue victims. More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
