Tulsa man gets 78 months for library-linked child pornography

A 71-year-old Tulsa man was sentenced to six years and six months in federal prison for possessing thousands of child sexual abuse images.

U.S. District Judge John D. Russell sentenced Charles Barranco on Oct. 21 to 78 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma. Court filings showed Barranco used the Tulsa City-County Library's public internet system more than 60 times to upload the material to his Google account.

Barranco was also ordered to register as a sex offender and pay $36,000 in restitution. He was convicted of possession of child pornography in Indian Country.

How the case started

Google had sent a CyberTip identifying uploads of suspected child sexual abuse material linked to Barranco's account. Tulsa Police Department executed search warrants on Barranco's home and electronic accounts, according to court documents cited in the federal announcement. Investigators later determined he was connected to multiple additional CyberTips.

A review of IP addresses showed Barranco used the library's public internet system in addition to his own home internet service, according to the federal announcement. KOKH reported on the sentencing.

A forensic review of Barranco's Google account uncovered more than 11,000 images of child sexual abuse material, according to the federal announcement. A search of his seized electronic devices turned up more than 1,500 additional images. The material depicted the exploitation and abuse of very young children, including infants.

Evidence indicated Barranco collected and kept these images over an extended period.

Sentencing arguments

Prosecutors had asked for 97 months, the high end of the advisory guideline range. They cited the seriousness of the offense, the volume of material and Barranco's conduct while on release, according to the federal announcement. The defense argued for 36 months, citing Barranco's age among other factors.

The judge settled on 78 months.

U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Nassar said Barranco "repeatedly sought out material involving the exploitation of children, even using a public library to do so." Nassar called Barranco's actions "predatory in nature" and said the case "reflects our unwavering commitment to protecting children … ensuring that those who engage in this behavior are held fully accountable."

Who investigated

The Tulsa Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations handled the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Robert prosecuted it. The case was brought under Project Safe Childhood, a federal initiative launched in 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation.

Barranco will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons, as of the Oct. 29 announcement.

Residents who suspect child exploitation can report tips to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children's CyberTipline at CyberTipline.org or by calling 1-800-843-5678.