Avery Freel, a 23-year-old man from Ocean Springs, Mississippi, has pleaded guilty to attempted receipt of materials involving the sexual exploitation of minors. The plea was entered on April 10, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon, according to Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson.
Freel is facing a mandatory minimum sentence of five years, with the potential for up to twenty years in prison. Additionally, Freel could be fined up to $250,000. The sentencing also includes a term of supervised release ranging from five years to life after imprisonment. A mandatory special assessment fee of $100 will be imposed.
This prosecution falls under the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched in May 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. The initiative employs federal, state, and local resources to apprehend and prosecute those exploiting children online and to rescue victims. Further information about Project Safe Childhood is available at www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office extended its gratitude to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the Hammond Police Department, and the Louisiana Bureau of Investigations for their assistance with the case. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, the Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit.