Upper Marlboro Man Sentenced for Child Porn Possession

A 45-year-old Upper Marlboro man has been sentenced to five years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for advertising and possessing child pornography, according to federal officials.

On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow sentenced Michael Moskal. Upon Moskal's release, he must comply with the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, and register as a sex offender in his town, workplace, and school.

On July 31, 2009, an FBI Child Exploitation Task Force officer began to conduct an online investigation into individuals engaging in the sexual exploitation of children, according to Moskal's plea agreement.

While online, the officer received an instant message from an individual later identified as Moskal, stating that he had an interest in Asian children between the ages of 9 and 12, the agreement said.

During the chat, Moskal provided the undercover officer with a link to a website, and instructions on how to access the site and purchase a live sex show with mothers and their young children.

In the plea agreement, Moskal said that he paid $20 for a live sex show. The officer followed Moskal’s instructions and was offered a live sex show through the website.

On November 20, 2009, FBI agents executed a federal search warrant at Moskal’s home and seized digital media, including computers, which contained 719 images and 65 videos depicting children engaged in sexually explicit conduct.