By Steve Neavling
A former Border Patrol agent was sentenced to 50 years in federal prison in San Antonio on charges related to the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material.
Paul Casey Whipple, 41, of Hondo, was sentenced after pleading guilty to 10 counts involving hundreds of explicit images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor.
Whipple’s arrest took place on Dec. 19, 2017, when law enforcement executed a search warrant at his residence. During the search, agents seized digital evidence revealing that Whipple had produced and distributed numerous files depicting a child engaged in sexually explicit acts.
The investigation was triggered when the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a report from a foreign law enforcement agency identifying seven files showing the sexual exploitation of a prepubescent girl. Following the report, agents from the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the IRS launched a collaborative effort to identify the child involved.
Whipple was subsequently indicted on multiple counts, including four for production of child pornography, five for distribution, and one for possession. He pleaded guilty to all charges on June 6.
In addition to his prison sentence, Whipple was ordered to pay $54,000 in restitution, forfeit the electronic devices used in his crimes, pay a $1,000 special assessment, and, if released from prison, complete a supervised release term.
“This significant 50-year sentence reflects the seriousness of Whipple’s heinous crimes and the devastating impact that child sexual abuse material has on its victims,” U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas said. “Thank you to our federal agency partners for their thorough and dedicated investigative work in this case and [who] were instrumental in securing this outcome. Together, we will continue to bring perpetrators to justice and strive to protect our children and our communities.”
“Whipple’s long-term exploitation of a minor is reprehensible, and we hope this sentence will grant the victim some measure of comfort in knowing he will never be able to hurt another child,” said Aaron Tapp, special agent in charge of the FBI’s San Antonio Field Office. “We want to thank our partners at the IRS for their continued assistance in keeping our communities safe.”
The case was investigated by the FBI, HSI, and IRS, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Thompson.
