Homeland Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child Porn

LOS ANGELES - A 73-year-old Riverside County man caught with numerous videos and photos of youngsters engaged in sexual activity pleaded guilty today to possession of child pornography.

George Henry Devinna could face between 10 and 20 years in federal prison when he's sentenced by Los Angeles-based U.S. District Judge James Otero on July 30.

Devinna, a twice-convicted felon who resides in Homeland, near Hemet, reached a plea deal with the U.S. Attorney's Office in February, in which he agreed to acknowledge guilt on the possession charge in exchange for prosecutors dropping allegations that he distributed child porn. He also acknowledged his two prior convictions for the same charge.

Otero ordered a probation report with recommendations on an appropriate sentence for the defendant. The U.S. Attorney's Office is seeking less than the maximum punishment based on the plea, but the judge has the discretion to impose whatever term of imprisonment he chooses.

Devinna remains held without bail at a federal detention center.

The defendant was arrested by FBI agents at his home last Dec. 12 following a months-long investigation.

According to FBI documents, Devinna utilized a peer-to-peer online file-sharing network to send and receive sexually explicit images of children.

Investigators infiltrated the subscriber-only network, posing as child porn traders, to view the materials being transmitted, according to Special Agent Jeffrey Stiff.

In an arrest warrant affidavit, the federal law enforcement officer described how Devinna was identified as the source of multiple child porn images and videos. Stiff said the defendant provided pictures of preteen boys who were totally nude, sometimes bound with straps and rope.

Agents also downloaded videos supplied by the defendant depicting minors in sex acts, engaging in oral copulation and mutual masturbation, according to the FBI.

The investigation spanned July to November and involved agents as far away as Rochester, N.Y., accessing the network and locating suspected illicit material, according to Stiff.

He said Devinna cooperated with investigators following his arrest.

''Devinna identified a Toshiba laptop computer in the residence that he used to access the peer-to-peer file sharing program in order to distribute and view child pornography,'' the agent wrote.

Some of the footage located on the defendant's hard drive was identified by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the Child Victim Identification Program as part of a series of films produced by child pornographers abroad, according to the FBI.