Man gets 35 years for child pornography
By News-Argus Staff
Published in News on March 13, 2008 1:45 PM
A Wisconsin man who moved to Goldsboro in 2004 was sentenced to 35 years in prison for child pornography this week, the U.S. Attorney's office said.
A federal judge sentenced Johnny Ray Lee, 40, for trafficking child pornography over the Internet, according to a news release from the office.
Charges were brought against the Wisconsin native and Goldsboro resident when he met an undercover agent at a local restaurant and provided him with child porn, according to the release.
Lee was convicted in 1994 Wisconsin for sexually abusing two children there, then was paroled in 2000, the release states.
Then, in 2002, he was jailed again for violating his parole twice that year -- once for possessing child pornography, the release stated.
In 2004, he moved to Goldsboro, and "not long after his arrival, Lee began the trafficking in child pornography" that led to the 35-year sentence.
Charges came about from an undercover operation, the release states.
An undercover police detective in Keene, N.H. received child pornography from the man while living in Goldsboro, according to the release.
The detective called Goldsboro police, who notified the State Bureau of Investigation, the release states.
An SBI agent met with Lee at a Goldsboro-area restaurant, and gave the agent child pornography materials, according to the release.
Lee's computer was seized and examined and authorities found that he had been using the Internet to sell or distribute child porn, the release states.
In November 2007, Lee pled guilty to child pornography and obscenity charges, the release states.
U.S. Attorney George Holding said that justice was served.
"I am grateful that the court was able to bring this criminal career to an end," Holding said in the release. "This case is another sobering reminder that we cannot meaningfully separate child pornography crimes from other sex abuse crimes.