The former acting cyber security chief for the Department of Health and Human Services has been sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for participating in a child pornography website.
Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Deborah R. Gilg of the District of Nebraska and Thomas R. Metz of the FBI’s Omaha Division announced Timothy DeFoggi's sentence on Monday.
The statement said that DeFoggi, 56, used the same skills that helped him rise to a prominent position at HHS to exploit children.
“Using the same technological expertise he employed as Acting Director of Cyber Security at HHS, DeFoggi attempted to sexually exploit children and traffic in child pornography through an anonymous computer network of child predators,” Caldwell said.
Former acting director of cyber security at HHS gets 25 years in child porn case
DeFoggi was convicted in August of engaging in a child exploitation enterprise, conspiracy to advertise and distribute child pornography and accessing a computer with intent to view child pornography.
"Through the website, DeFoggi accessed child pornography, solicited child pornography from other members, and exchanged private messages with other members in which he expressed an interest in the violent rape and murder of children," the statement said. "DeFoggi suggested meeting one member in person to fulfill their mutual fantasies to violently rape and murder children."
CBS News reported that DeFoggi was serving in his role at HHS when he was arrested in May 2013.