JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A NASA contractor is accused of using his agency-issued laptop to view and download child pornography, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced Friday.
Anthony Joseph Culotta, Jr., 59, of Brevard County is charged with possession of child pornography, a felony that carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
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The charge stems from a criminal complaint that alleges Culotta, a NASA contractor since 2004, used his government-issued computer to access and download child pornography from May 31 to Aug. 7.
A search of the laptop found over 1,000 images of child pornography, including photos of victims known to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Confronted Tuesday, Culotta acknowledged using the computer to "search for and view images that piqued his curiosity," federal prosecutors said.
The case against Culotta marks one of the latest efforts of Project Safe Childhood, the ongoing Justice Department campaign aimed at cracking down on child sexual abuse and exploitation.