For Immediate Release

November 12, 2008

ROBINSON, IL MAN SENTENCED ON CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CHARGES

A. Courtney Cox, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that on November 7, 2008, ROBERT EUGENE HOKE, age 64, of Robinson, Illinois, was sentenced in the United States District Court in Benton, Illinois. HOKE was sentenced to 121 months’ imprisonment, fined $400, and placed on 5 years supervised release.

HOKE had previously pleaded guilty to two counts involving child pornography. HOKE pleaded guilty to Count 1 of the Indictment which charged that from October 8, 2005, to November 15, 2005, HOKE received images of child pornography that had been sent in interstate commerce over the Internet. HOKE also pleaded guilty to Count 2 of the Indictment which charged that from October 28, 2005, to November 29, 2005, HOKE possessed a video clip of child pornography that had been sent in interstate commerce on the Internet.

The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Cyber Crimes Task Force, the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office, the Robinson Police Department, and the Marion Police Department.

The United States Attorney’s Office, in conjunction with federal and state law enforcement authorities, is actively investigating and prosecuting individuals who produce, distribute, or possess child pornography. Anyone with information concerning the use of the Internet for the purposes of possessing, producing, or trafficking in child pornography is encouraged to contact their local police department or the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney George Norwood.