EAST CHARLESTON MAN SENTENCED FOR POSSESSING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY.

BURLINGTON, Vt. -- The following information was released by the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Vermont:

The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that V. Chem Pierce, 38, of East Charleston, Vermont, was sentenced in United States District Court in Burlington, Vermont on February 7, 2011, to serve 24-months incarceration and a 5-year term of supervised release following his conviction on one count of possession of child pornography. Chief United States District Judge Christina Reiss also ordered Pierce to pay a $100 special assessment.

According to court records, a student at the Lyndon Institute, where the defendant was employed as a dorm proctor, noticed on the school's computer system possible images of child pornography. The Vermont State Police was notified, and after further investigation and a forensic examination of the defendant's computer and associated data storage devices, the defendant was found to be in possession of approximately 61 videos which depicted child pornography.

Assistant United States Attorney Barbara Masterson represented the United States. The defendant was represented by John Pacht of Hoff Curtis.

U.S. Attorney Coffin commended the efforts of ICE and the VSP in the investigation and prosecution of Pierce.

U.S. Attorney Coffin noted that this prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices and the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Forces, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.