Louisiana Man Pleads Guilty in a Federal Court to Receiving Child Pornography

United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that Jason L. Istre, age 45, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, pled guilty before U.S. Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick to receipt of child pornography. As a result of his conviction, Istre faces a significant term of imprisonment, a fine, and a period of supervised release, which includes sex offender registration requirements.

According to admissions made during his plea, Istre knowingly received child pornographic files via the internet on or about October 1, 2021. He also used sophisticated computer programs to download and store child pornographic images and videos. Istre sought videos and images of minors, knowing they were under the age of 18, with the intent of receiving child pornography. Istre also had 1,700 total videos and approximately 45 images of child pornography on his laptop.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office investigated the case, which is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Edward H. Warner.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Project Safe Childhood, led by US Attorneys’ Offices and CEOs, marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. Please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc for more information on Project Safe Childhood.