MADISON, Ohio — A registered sex offender has been sentenced to 35 years in prison for sexual exploitation of children and receipt and distribution of visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
According to court records, in October 2019, the Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force received a tip from the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children that a Google email address had uploaded 120 images of known child pornography to Google Photos.
Investigators were able to trace that IP address to 39-year-old James Marquand.
At the time of the investigation, Marquand was on parole from a conviction in Cuyahoga County for attempted rape and unlawful sexual conduct with a minor.
Marquand was also a registered sex offender who had been convicted for not providing notice of his change of address, according to court records.
According to authorities, 56 files depicting minors engaged in sexual conduct were found on Marquand's Google account.
The images were uploaded to a Google account belonging to Marquand between March and September 2019, according to court records.
His account was forensically analyzed and found to contain 150 images and 97 videos of child pornography.
According to court records, there were also images and videos of Marquand engaged in sexual conduct with a 4-year-old girl.
He admitted to engaging in the conduct with the 4-year-old on multiple occasions and recording some instances on his cellphone, according to court records.
“Serial child predators bring these significant terms of incarceration on themselves. It is as simple as that,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan. “Despite prior convictions for similar conduct, this defendant chose to sexually exploit a child and also to repeatedly exploit other children by receiving and distributing more than 100 images of them. Because of the collaborative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office, as well as the dedication of the Assistant U.S. Attorneys who prosecute these matters, this predator’s 35-year term of incarceration guarantees that he is no longer a threat to our children.”
Marquand was sentenced to 35 years in prison and ordered to pay $13,000 in restitution after pleading guilty in October to those charges.
“This is a lengthy, well-deserved sentence,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Eric B. Smith. “Marquand has a history of sexually exploiting minors and it's clear he learned nothing from his prior incarceration. Fortunately, this most recent sentence will ensure this predator will be kept away from children for 35 years. All of us share a responsibility to protect innocent children, especially from sexual predators, whether online or in your own home."
The court also recommended that he should receive any mental health, drug abuse, and sex offender treatment that he can qualify for and that he is prohibited from accessing the internet without supervision.
“This predator, who is a previously convicted sex offender, sexually abused a minor and uploaded more than 100 files of child abuse material,” said Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael C. O’Malley. “Our community is significantly safer with him behind bars for the next 35 years."
