A former U.S. Air Force airman has been sentenced to 84 months in federal prison for possession of child pornography. Jacob Christian Butler, 33, from Augusta, pleaded guilty to the charge, according to Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge J. Randal Hall also mandated that Butler register as a sex offender and undergo 15 years of supervised release following his prison term.
In the federal system, parole is not available.
“Possessing child pornography perpetuates the victimization of child sexual abuse survivors,” stated U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “With our law enforcement partners, we will continue to protect our most vulnerable citizens.”
Court documents and testimony revealed that Butler was an Airman First Class in the U.S. Air Force assigned to Fort Eisenhower with a high level of security clearance. A security system at a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF) detected an unauthorized cellular device on Butler when he entered the facility, leading to its seizure by security personnel.
Investigators found multiple images of child sexual abuse on the device. Further searches at Butler's residence uncovered additional devices containing hundreds of similar images and videos.
Judge Hall acknowledged that restitution is owed to victims identified in these images but postponed finalizing restitution pending further investigation.
“This prosecution is another example of law enforcement working together to protect our children,” said FBI Atlanta Assistant Special Agent in Charge Brian Ozden. “FBI Atlanta will continue to pursue predators and hold them accountable for their actions.”
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, with prosecution led by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason W. Blanchard and the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Counsel.
Individuals with information regarding 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/.