A registered sex offender, Robert Earl Cochran Jr., has been sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for distributing and possessing child sexual abuse materials. The sentencing took place on March 12 at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, following an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Cochran, aged 63 and a resident of Alvin, will also face 10 years of supervised release after serving his prison term.
The investigation by ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) revealed that Cochran used multiple virtual identities to distribute, receive, and possess child sexual abuse materials involving children between three to twelve years old from February 2015 to July 2019. “With today’s sentence we have removed an extremely dangerous child predator from the community who was an immediate threat to every child he encountered,” said Chad Plantz, Special Agent in Charge of ICE HSI Houston.
Cochran admitted to beginning his engagement with child pornography shortly after his previous release from prison in 2015 and heavily trading it during 2015-2016. Upon arrest, law enforcement found nine images and 54 obscene representations of children depicting pornography on three cellphones used by Cochran.
He will remain in custody until he is transferred to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility. Restitution details are yet to be determined.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Luis Batarse is prosecuting this case.
For further information about ICE’s efforts against child exploitation in Southeast Texas, follow @HSIHouston on X.
