Former Police Officer Sentenced To 30 Months In Prison For Possession Of Child Exploitative Images

Today’s teenagers know their way around cell phones, and they have since before they could talk.  When a parent gives a preteen their own phone for the first time, the exchange usually involves dire warnings about how little control you have over pictures of you once you post them online.  Of course, the worst thing that can happen to a minor regarding online images is that an adult who sexually abused them will post images of the abuse online and sell the images for a profit.  According to the law, anyone who buys the images is participating in the abuse.  This is why the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Act of 2018, named after three survivors of child sexual abuse whose images were widely distributed online, allows courts to order defendants convicted of buying or selling images of sexual abuse of minors to pay restitution to the victims depicted in the images.  If you are being accused of buying or possessing child exploitative images, contact a Tampa sex crimes lawyer.

Defendant Bought Images From Alabama Student Using Encryption App

Gabriel Albala’s career with the Boynton Beach Police Department began in 2006, but the beginning of the end came in the fall of 2018, when Albala contacted David Drake, a college student in Alabama, through Drake’s Tumblr account, where he had advertised child exploitative images for $10 to $50 each.  Drake sent the images to Albala through an encrypted website called Wickr.  He then promptly notified law enforcement that he had sold the images; several months earlier, Drake had pleaded guilty to possession of child exploitative images, and part of his plea deal included helping law enforcement catch buyers like Albala.

Police arrested Albala in the summer of 2019, and the Boynton Beach Police Department immediately relieved him of his duties, eventually terminating his employment several months later.  Albala pleaded guilty to the charges of possession of images depicting the sexual abuse of minors, and in June 2020, he was sentenced to 30 months in prison.  After he completes his prison sentence, he must serve five years of probation.  In addition, he must register as a sex offender and remain on the sex offender registry indefinitely.  Registered sex offenders are barred from certain professions, and they must update their addresses on the registry anytime they move to a new residence.  Failure to keep your sex offender registry information up to date could result in additional criminal charges, and perhaps even another prison sentence.  Sex offenders whose charges relate to minor victims may also be forbidden to be in the presence of children; sometimes judges even order them not to spend time with their own children except when another adult is present.

Contact Tampa Sex Crimes Defense Attorney Bryant Scriven

A sex crimes defense lawyer can help you if you are being accused of a crime for which a conviction would require you to register as a sex offender.  Contact Scriven Law in Tampa, Florida to schedule a consultation.

Source:

justice.gov/usao-sdfl/pr/former-police-officer-sentenced-prison-term-possession-child-pornography