SAN ANTONIO -- A federal judge sentenced a former Air Force staff sergeant assigned to Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, to 40 years in federal prison Oct. 24, 2019, for receipt and distribution of child pornography.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney John F. Bash, Air Force Office of Special Investigations Lt. Col. (Special Agent) Jeffrey Hall, Commander, 11th Field Investigations Squadron, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, and FBI Special Agent In Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division.
In addition to the prison term, Chief U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia ordered that 34-year-old Rowell Flora of San Antonio, Texas, be placed on supervised release for 20 years after completing his prison term. Judge Garcia also ordered Flora to pay $20,000 restitution and a $10,000 special assessment under the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act.
“This case was a perfect example of the joint capabilities of AFOSI and FBI,” said Lt. Col. Hall. “We are very proud of the special agents from both agencies that worked tirelessly to ensure a child predator was removed from society.”
On February 1, 2018, Flora pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of distribution of child pornography. According to court records, federal authorities executed a search warrant at the defendant’s residence on August 2, 2017, and seized numerous electronic devices, including the defendant’s cell phone, desktop computer, laptop computer and several external hard drives. A forensics examination of the seized materials revealed the presence of child pornography.
By pleading guilty, Flora admitted to using his phone and computer equipment to receive and distribute multiple images and videos depicting child pornography, including files created and sent to him in June 2017 by a female with whom he was involved in a romantic relationship, 21-year-old Jaelene Roxana Fenior. Flora persuaded Fenior to sexually exploit a minor child for Flora’s own self-gratification.
“This case is yet another example of a child predator put behind bars for decades,” said U.S. Attorney Bash. “I’m proud of the work of our office and our law-enforcement partners.”
Fenior, who has admitted to generating images and videos of child pornography and transmitting them to Flora, was sentenced on June 20, 2018, to time served (approx. 10 months) and 15 years of supervised release. Flora has remained in federal custody since his arrest on August 2, 2017.
AFOSI and the FBI investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Thompson prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.
Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.