Pensacola Sex Offender Found Guilty Of New Child Pornography Offenses

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Frank P. Knight, 59, of Pensacola, Florida, was found guilty by a federal jury for receiving and possessing images and videos of child pornography. The guilty verdict returned yesterday afternoon, at the conclusion of a three-day trial, was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

“Protecting innocent children from sexual predators remains one of our highest priorities,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “I commend our law enforcement partners and prosecutors who work diligently to identify these predators and bring them to justice so that they no longer have the opportunity to exploit any child again. Due to their efforts, our community is safer, and this repeat offender is exactly where he belongs – back behind bars.”

Between October 1, 2018, and October 12, 2022, Knight received, and attempted to receive, material containing child pornography.  Also, between September 1, 2021, and October 12, 2022, Knight possessed, and attempted to possess, material containing child pornography. Knight is a previously convicted federal sex offender for similar crimes spanning 2002 – 2009. He served over six years in federal prison for those crimes but was released in 2015.

“This convicted felon once again showed no respect for the law by possessing child sexual abuse materials while on probation,” said HSI Tallahassee Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas G. Ingegno. “Thanks to the vigilance of the North Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the U.S. Probations Office, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, this repeat offender will now be behind bars, making our communities safer for our children.”

On October 5, 2022, one of the United States Probation Officers who was supervising Knight conducted a random check at Knight’s place of business and discovered electronic devices that had not been reported by Knight to his supervising officer. On October 11, 2022, with the assistance of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the United States Probation Office seized additional electronic devices at Knight’s location that he also had not reported.  At that time, a Smart TV was located in Knight’s personal living area within the business. All the accounts on the Smart TV were logged in under Knight’s name and email address, and the browser history revealed child pornography websites had been recently accessed. The electronic devices that were seized were analyzed by forensics examiners with the Department of Homeland Security, and numerous images and videos of child pornography were located on multiple seized devices. The devices all contained Knight’s log-in information, email accounts, credit card accounts, photographs, and other identifying information belonging to Knight. The devices also contained browser history searches and link files for child pornography dating back to 2018.

Sentencing is currently set for September 25, 2023, at 9:00 a.m., at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before the Honorable United States District Judge M. Casey Rodgers. Based on his prior child pornography convictions, Knight faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years in federal prison, with a maximum of 40 years.

This case was investigated by the United States Department of Homeland Security and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the North Florida Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. Assistant United States Attorneys David L. Goldberg and Jessica S. Etherton prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.