Friday, June 28, 2024
Thursday, June 27, 2024
KC Man Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison for Producing Child Pornography
PRESS RELEASE
KC Man Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison for Producing Child Pornography
Tuesday, June 25, 2024
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for using a 9-year-old victim to produce child pornography.
Jackie M. Hill, 39, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to 16 years and eight months in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Hill to spend the rest of his life on supervised release following incarceration. Hill will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life.
On Jan. 31, 2024, Hill pleaded guilty to producing child pornography. Hill admitted that he used a 9-year-old victim to produce 21 images of child pornography on Feb. 3, 2023. Hill posted three images of child pornography, including two images of the child victim, on a website dedicated to the discussion of child sexual abuse and the advertisement and sharing of child pornography.
On April 12, 2023, FBI agents executed a search warrant at Hill’s residence. Agents seized a desktop computer, a thumb drive, and a cell phone. A forensic analysis of the devices determined that thousands of images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation of minors were located on them, including pornographic images and videos of infants, toddlers, and prepubescent children.
Hill admitted that he had been involved in trafficking child pornography for at least eight years prior to his arrest.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth W. Borgnino. It was investigated by the FBI.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Wednesday, June 26, 2024
Tuesday, June 25, 2024
Monday, June 24, 2024
Sunday, June 23, 2024
Friday, June 21, 2024
EPA Announces Grant Award of Over $6.1 million for Clean School Buses for Fort Worth ISD as Part of the Investing in America Agenda
US EPA News Release:
EPA Announces Grant Award of Over $6.1 million for Clean School Buses for Fort Worth ISD as Part of the Investing in America Agenda
DALLAS, TEXAS (June 20, 2024) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that Fort Worth Independent School District is receiving $6,167,108 through EPA’s first Clean School Bus Grant Competition. The significant award, which is made possible through President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, will help the school district purchase 15 clean school buses.
EPA Regional Administrator Dr. Earthea Nance joined Rep. Marc Veasey, Superintendent Dr. Angélica Ramsey, district leaders, and community members in Fort Worth, TX, today to celebrate the award and highlight how the program will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save schools money, and better protect children’s health.
“Today’s $6 million grant delivers a tremendous investment in environmental justice and clean energy by replacing older diesel engines, which disproportionately expose communities of color to harmful pollution, with clean school buses,” said Region 6 Administrator Dr. Earthea Nance. “Thanks to President Biden’s historic investments in America, fewer children will face asthma risks linked to air pollution as EPA continues to work every single day to create cleaner and healthier communities.”
“This investment will work towards making our air cleaner and better our children's futures here in Fort Worth," said Rep. Marc Veasey (TX-33). "In 2021, I was proud to vote for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that made this accomplishment possible by ensuring our communities have the tools for zero-emissions electric buses."
"We are thrilled that Fort Worth ISD has been awarded a grant to invest in electric school buses for our district,” said Fort Worth ISD Superintendent Dr. Angelica Ramsey. “Fort Worth ISD is proud to be among the school districts in Texas to receive a grant for electric buses. These electric buses will provide our students with a cleaner, quieter, and more efficient mode of transportation, enhancing their daily school commute. By integrating electric buses into our fleet, we are not only reducing our carbon footprint but also directly benefiting our students' health and well-being. We look forward to seeing the environmental and cost-saving benefits that Fort Worth ISD will experience with these electric-powered school buses.”
In January 2024, the EPA announced Fort Worth ISD’s selection among the Notice of Funding Opportunity’s top tier Texas applicants to receive this historic investment in their community.
Under the program’s multiple grant and rebate funding opportunities to date, the EPA has awarded almost $3 billion to fund approximately 8,500 school bus replacements at over 1,000 schools. By accelerating the transition to low- and zero-emission vehicles, these awards will improve air quality for children and their families and advance environmental justice, all while boosting the economy and creating good-paying jobs.
The Clean School Bus Program is having far-reaching effects across school districts and their surrounding communities. Air pollution from older diesel engines is linked to asthma and other conditions that harm students’ health and can cause them to miss school. Phasing out these older diesel engines, which disproportionately affect communities of color and Tribal communities, ensures cleaner air for students, bus drivers, school staff working near bus loading areas, and the communities through which the buses drive each day.
The program delivers on President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which aims to deliver 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized, underserved and overburdened by pollution.Throughout the selection process, EPA prioritized high-needs school districts, including school districts with more than 20% of students in poverty, rural school districts, Tribal school districts and districts in underserved and overburdened communities.
About the Clean School Bus Program
The EPA Clean School Bus Program was created by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which provides an unprecedented $5 billion of funding to transform the nation’s fleet of school buses. The Clean School Bus Program funds electric buses, which produce zero tailpipe emissions, as well as propane and compressed natural gas (CNG) buses, which produce lower tailpipe emissions compared to their older diesel predecessors.
To learn more about the Clean School Bus Rebate Program, applicant eligibility, selection process, and informational webinar dates for future rounds of funding, visit the Clean School Bus Program website.
Thursday, June 20, 2024
Wednesday, June 19, 2024
Tuesday, June 18, 2024
THURSDAY: EPA Announces Over $6 million in Clean School Bus funding for Fort Worth ISD
US EPA Media Advisory:
THURSDAY: EPA Announces Over $6 million in Clean School Bus funding for Fort Worth ISD
DALLAS, TEXAS (June 18, 2024)- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 6 Administrator Dr. Earthea Nance will be joined by Representative Marc Veasey (TX-33), Fort Worth ISD Superintendent Dr. Angélica Ramsey, district leaders, and community members to celebrate over $6 million in funding to obtain 15 electric school buses. This funding comes from President’s Biden Investing in America initiative.
Members of the media are invited to attend, please RSVP to R6Press@epa.gov.
Date: Thursday, June 20
Location: FWISD Teaching & Learning Center, 1050 Bridgewood Dr, Fort Worth, TX 76112
Time: 2:30 – 3:00 PM
WHO:
- Dr. Nance, EPA Region 6 Administrator
- Rep. Marc Veasey (TX-33)
- Superintendent, Dr. Angélica Ramsey
Sunday, June 16, 2024
Friday, June 14, 2024
Monday, June 10, 2024
Sunday, June 9, 2024
Saturday, June 8, 2024
Raytown Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child Pornography
PRESS RELEASE
Raytown Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child Pornography
Thursday, June 6, 2024
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Raytown, Mo., man who is a convicted sex offender pleaded guilty in federal court today to possessing thousands of videos and images of child pornography.
James Anthony Bee, 56, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to one count of possessing child pornography.
Bee has a prior federal felony conviction for distributing child pornography, for which he was sentenced to seven years in prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release. Bee’s term of supervised release began on Dec. 30, 2021.
On Nov. 2, 2022, probation officers conducted an unannounced home inspection at Bee’s residence. A probation officer noticed several cell phone charging cords on his bedroom floor. The terms of Bee’s supervised release prohibited him from possessing electronic devices with access to any on-line computer service without the prior approval of the probation office. Upon retrieving the cords, the probation officer discovered that one of the cords was connected to an SD card reader, which contained a micro-SD card inside the reader.
When Bee arrived and realized the probation officers had found the SD card and were going to search it, he struck the living room window twice with his hand, breaking it. He retrieved a piece of glass and attempted to cut his neck with it. The probation officers contacted emergency services and Bee was transported to the hospital for treatment.
A forensic examination of the SD card found more than 1,300 videos of child pornography and more than 9,000 images of child pornography.
Under federal statutes, Bee is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of 20 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing is scheduled on Oct. 24, 2024.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth W. Borgnino. It was investigated by the U.S. Probation Office and the FBI.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."