3 sentenced in child-porn cases

Three Northwest Arkansas men were sentenced Wednesday on unrelated charges for possessing and distributing child pornography, U.S. District Attorney Connor Eldridge announced in a news release.

James Gerald Cain, 53, of Springdale was sentenced to eight years and one month in prison; Edward McMahon, 61, of Lincoln was sentenced to eight years and one month in prison; and Matthew McMullen, 32, of Fayetteville was sentenced to five years in prison, Eldridge said. All were charged with receipt of images of child pornography, Eldridge said.

Authorities identified a computer of Cain's in August 2014 that was involved in distributing child pornography using an Internet file-sharing program, Eldridge said. Officers seized several computers and digital storage devices in October with 1,000 pornographic images and videos belonging to Cain. He admitted to owning the equipment and using it to "download images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct" for 15 years, according to authorities.

Cain was arrested Dec. 3 and plead guilty to the charge Feb. 4, Eldridge said. He was also sentenced to 15 years of supervised release and a $1,750 fine.

In September 2014, authorities investigated and found that McMahon had been posting child pornography online and possessed "hundreds" of videos and images, Eldridge said. McMahon admitted to investigators that he owned equipment that had been seized and that he had been using it to trade child pornography.

Officers arrested McMahon on Nov. 21, and he plead guilty to the charge Feb. 4, the U.S. attorney said. He was also sentenced to 10 years of supervised release and fined $1,750.

An investigation led authorities to the McMullen's residence in April 2014, where during a search he admitted to possessing and distributing child pornography, Eldridge said. A forensic examination of the McMullenn's seized computer equipment revealed more than 400 illegal videos, and evidence showed many of the children pictured were under 10 years old, Eldridge said.

McMullen was arrested Dec. 2 and pleaded guilty to the charge Jan. 20. He was also sentenced to five years of supervised release after his prison term.

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