FBI ARRESTS LOCAL MAN FOR DISTRIBUTING AND POSSESSING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

HOUSTON, TX - Denzial Ray Tittle, 50, formerly of Katy, Texas, was arrested this morning in Houston by special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for allegedly distributing and possessing images of child pornography on his computer, United States Attorney Don DeGabrielle announced today. Tittle made an initial appearance in federal court in Houston this afternoon before a United States Magistrate Judge and will remain in federal custody pending a hearing on the government's motion to detain him without bond pending trial. The hearing on the motion is scheduled for June 19, 2006, at 10:00 a.m.

The six-count federal indictment, which was returned June 8, 2006 by a federal grand jury, accuses Tittle of five counts of distributing child pornography between January 8, 2005, to March 7, 2005, and one count of possessing child pornography in February 2006. According to the allegations, Tittle's home computer included more than 600 images of prepubescent children, some as young as 6 years of age, engaged in sexual conduct with adult men. The indictment is the result of an investigation conducted by members of the Houston office of the FBI's Cyber Squad-Innocent Images which focuses its attention on investigating offenses involving the exploitation of children.

If convicted, Tittle faces a minimum sentence of five years up to a maximum of 20 years of imprisonment for distributing child pornography. The possession of child pornography charge carries a maximum term of 10 years of imprisonment upon conviction and up to a life term of supervised release. All six offenses also carry a maximum $250,000 fine.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Richard Magness and Martha Minnis.

An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until convicted through due process of law.

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