Former Youth Director Gets 10 Years in Child Porn Case

By Kristal Dixon
Patch
March 26, 2014

http://eastatlanta.patch.com/groups/police-and-fire/p/former-youth-director-gets-10-years-in-child-porn-case_77d198c6

Kevin Hickey collected thousands of child pornographic images and videos and offered to share those images with others.

A former youth church director and has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for distributing child pornography.

Kevin Hickey, former church youth director and director of parish outreach for Sandy Springs-based Life Teen International, on Tuesday, March 25 was sentenced to 10 years followed by a lifetime of supervised by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy C. Batten Sr., according to a press release from the United States Attorney's Office. 

Hickey, 39 of Atlanta, was also ordered to pay $1,000 in restitution and a $100 special assessment. Once he's released from prison, Hickey will be required to register as a sex offender. 

"This defendant was entrusted with counseling and protecting children, but instead collected and distributed highly graphic images portraying their sexual exploitation and abuse," said United States Attorney Yates. "We will to continue to aggressively prosecute those who pose such a great threat to our children."  

According to Yates, information presented in court identified Hickey as a man "with a sexual interest in children and who collected and distributed child pornography."

In June 2013, using his online screen name "funguyatl77," Hickey engaged in an online communication — monitored by federal agents — in which he stated he'd been watching "perving vids" and offered to share child pornography.  

On June 3, 2013, Hickey transmitted a video showing two prepubescent males being sodomized by an adult male. He further shared photos of children he "surreptitiously" took in public places and was overheard pleasuring himself during the online conversation, Yates said.

A follow-up investigation by Homeland Security Investigations agents led them to Hickey and his home where he used his computer to collect and distribute child pornographic images. Agents discovered thousands of images on Hickey's electronic devices.

"HSI puts special emphasis on investigating consumers of child pornography who have access to children through positions of trust," said Special Agent in Charge Brock D. Nicholson, Homeland Security Investigation Atlanta. "My special agents, our law enforcement partners and prosecutors at all levels are engaged in a relentless pursuit of child pornographers. By putting men like Kevin Hickey behind bars, I have no doubt that we are saving innocent children from the trauma of rape and exploitation."