MARQUETTE - An Escanaba man was sentenced Tuesday to seven years in prison for distribution of child pornography, according to officials from the U.S. Department of Justice in Marquette.
Thomas Lawrence Nichol, 25, pleaded guilty to the charge in October, according to a press release. He was also ordered to pay a $500 fine and serve five years of supervised release after serving time in prison.
Nichol was initially identified in 2006 as a suspect in a national investigation regarding distribution of child pornography.
In April 2007, an agent from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and a detective from the Michigan State Police interviewed Nichol. During a search of his computer, officials found child pornography. When confronted with the evidence, Nichol confessed to receiving and distributing child pornography on the Internet.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse, according to the news release.
The U.S. Attorney's Office, county prosecutors' offices, Internet Crimes Against Children task force, federal, state and local law enforcement are working together to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children.
Partners involved in Project Safe Childhood work together to educate local communities about the dangers of online child exploitation and to teach children how to protect themselves. For more information, visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.