An Algona, Washington man was convicted late yesterday in U.S. District Court in Seattle of possession and distribution of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan.

Michael Allen Dreyer, 59, was convicted of distribution of child pornography and possession of child pornography following a four day jury trial.  Dreyer has a May 2000 conviction for possession of child pornography and therefore faces a mandatory minimum 15 years and up to 40 years in prison when sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Marsha J. Pechman on January 18, 2013.

According to records filed in the case, Dreyer most recently came to the attention of law enforcement during an investigation of child pornography distribution utilizing peer-to-peer file sharing software.  In April 2011, a federal investigator operating on line, was able to observe the files Dreyer was sharing and downloading and saw images of child pornography.

Investigators traced the internet protocol address to Dreyer’s Algona, Washington home.  In July 2011, law enforcement served a search warrant at Dreyer’s home seizing a computer and other media storage devices.  Dreyer has been in federal custody since April 2012.  Following the forensic analysis of the computer, Dreyer was indicted by the grand jury in May 2012.  The forensic investigation revealed that the computer contained more than 20 video files of child pornography and over 1,300 image files of child pornography.

In May 2000, Dreyer was sentenced to 27 months in prison for possession of child pornography.

The case was investigated by the ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with assistance from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS).

The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Marci Ellsworth and Assistant United States Attorney Justin Arnold.  Ms. Ellsworth is an attorney with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) specially designated to prosecute ICE cases in federal court.