Columbia, South Carolina ---- Acting United States Attorney Kevin F. McDonald stated that Ozvaldo Gonzalez, age 49, of Columbia, pled guilty in federal court to possession of child pornography. United States District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie accepted the plea and will sentence Gonzalez at a later date.

Evidence presented in court established that in May 2007, an FBI agent in Ohio was able to download images of child pornography from Gonzalez’s computer in Columbia. Gonzalez’s computer was equipped with peer-to-peer software, which allowed Gonzalez to obtain child pornography images from other computers, and allowed other computer users to access his child pornography collection online. Based on the images obtained during the investigation, FBI agents searched Gonzalez’s residence and seized his computer and a CD-Rom disc. A forensic analysis of these items discovered other images of child pornography.

Mr. McDonald stated the maximum penalty Gonzalez can receive is a fine of $250,000 and imprisonment for 10 years.

The case was investigated by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Dean A. Eichelberger of the Columbia office handled the case.