Eric Dean Schnakenberg Press Release (Sentencing)

April 29, 2008
For Immediate Release

FRANKLIN COUNTY MAN SENTENCED ON FEDERAL CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CHARGES

St. Louis, MO: Eric Dean Schnakenberg was sentenced to 36 months in prison, followed by 20 years of supervised release, for possession of child pornography, United States Attorney Catherine L. Hanaway and Pacific Police Detective Larry Cook announced today.

On July 12, 2007, employees of Integram Seating in Pacific, Missouri, discovered images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct on a laptop computer assigned to Schnakenberg, who was the IT Manager for Integram. The Pacific Police Department was contacted and the laptop computer was turned over to a Pacific detective. In addition to the laptop computer, the detective later seized a Hewlett Packard desktop computer that had been assigned to Schnakenberg while he was employed at Integram.

On August 10, 2007, a federal search warrant was executed at Schnakenberg’s Washington, Missouri residence. Among the items seized were two additional computers, including an IBM personal computer and another laptop. Schnakenberg admitted with his plea in February that he had downloaded and viewed child pornography images and movies on his work laptop and desktop computers via the internet. He stated he also downloaded and viewed child pornography on his personal desktop computer at his residence. Some of the images possessed by Schnakenberg involve minors under the age of 12. The total number of images possessed by Schnakenberg is more than 150 images.

ERIC DEAN SCHNAKENBERG, Washington, Missouri, pled guilty last February to one felony count of possession of child pornography, and appeared today for sentencing before United States District Judge Charles A. Shaw in St. Louis.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, the Department of Justice launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.

In addition to the Pacific Police Department, Hanaway commended the work performed on the case by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Missouri Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Regional Computer Crimes Education and Enforcement Group and Assistant United States Attorney Reginald Harris, who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE EASTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI CATHERINE L. HANAWAY United States Attorney	NEWS RELEASE
For further information: Call Public Affairs Officer Jan Diltz at (314) 539-7719
April 29, 2008 For Immediate Release FRANKLIN COUNTY MAN SENTENCED ON FEDERAL CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CHARGES St. Louis, MO: Eric Dean Schnakenberg was sentenced to 36 months in prison, followed by 20 years of supervised release, for possession of child pornography, United States Attorney Catherine L. Hanaway and Pacific Police Detective Larry Cook announced today. On July 12, 2007, employees of Integram Seating in Pacific, Missouri, discovered images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct on a laptop computer assigned to Schnakenberg, who was the IT Manager for Integram. The Pacific Police Department was contacted and the laptop computer was turned over to a Pacific detective. In addition to the laptop computer, the detective later seized a Hewlett Packard desktop computer that had been assigned to Schnakenberg while he was employed at Integram. On August 10, 2007, a federal search warrant was executed at Schnakenberg’s Washington, Missouri residence. Among the items seized were two additional computers, including an IBM personal computer and another laptop. Schnakenberg admitted with his plea in February that he had downloaded and viewed child pornography images and movies on his work laptop and desktop computers via the internet. He stated he also downloaded and viewed child pornography on his personal desktop computer at his residence. Some of the images possessed by Schnakenberg involve minors under the age of 12. The total number of images possessed by Schnakenberg is more than 150 images. ERIC DEAN SCHNAKENBERG, Washington, Missouri, pled guilty last February to one felony count of possession of child pornography, and appeared today for sentencing before United States District Judge Charles A. Shaw in St. Louis. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, the Department of Justice launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/. In addition to the Pacific Police Department, Hanaway commended the work performed on the case by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Missouri Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Regional Computer Crimes Education and Enforcement Group and Assistant United States Attorney Reginald Harris, who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.