A Chatham County resident has been sentenced to over eight years in federal prison for receiving child pornography. David Johnathan Perry, 43, from Savannah, was handed a 97-month prison sentence after pleading guilty to the charge of Receipt of Child Pornography. U.S. District Court Chief Judge R. Stan Baker also ordered Perry to pay $55,000 in restitution and serve 15 years of supervised release following his imprisonment. The federal system does not allow parole.
Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, stated: "Protecting our most vulnerable citizens is essential, and that includes preventing the spread of sexual abuse material depicting children." She praised law enforcement's efforts in identifying and eliminating these threats.
Court documents and testimony revealed that the Georgia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force received several CyberTip reports indicating child sexual abuse material was stored in a Google account linked to Perry’s home. Investigators conducted a search at his residence and seized multiple electronic devices containing thousands of images and videos of child pornography.
Steven N. Schrank, acting special agent in charge of HSI Atlanta covering Georgia and Alabama, emphasized the impact on victims: “Every time one of these images is shared or viewed it revictimizes an innocent child and makes the healing process start over again." He added that stopping those who traffic such disturbing images is crucial.
The investigation involved Homeland Security Investigations and the Savannah Police Department, with prosecution handled by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason W. Blanchard.
Individuals with information on suspected child sexual exploitation are encouraged to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 800-843-5678 or visit https://report.cybertip.org/.