North Carolina’s Stephen Allen Hill has just been sent to prison for sending, receiving, and possessing over 29,000 images and 340 videos depicting the sexual abuse of children, some including toddlers and infants engaging in sadistic and masochistic conduct.
According to a press release from Department of Justice, the 75-year-old Boone resident was sentenced today to 48 months in prison, 20 years of supervised release, and fines of $100 for a special assessment, $5,000 for a Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act (JTVA) assessment, $17,000 for a special assessment under the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act (AVAA), and a general fine of $30,000.
Court documents detail how Hill came to the attention of law enforcement in October 2020 for sharing child pornography via a peer-to-peer network. A search warrant executed on January 15, 2021, at Hill’s residence led to the seizure of multiple electronic devices, including computers and hard drives.
This particular case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a national campaign started in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. This initiative aims to fight the rising wave of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The coordination between U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), and other federal, state, and local agencies has intensified the efforts to locate, arrest, and prosecute those who prey on children online, as well as to identify and assist the victims. More information about Project Safe Childhood is available at www.projectsafechildhood.gov.