Mississippi man sentenced to more than 8 years in prison for possession of child pornography

GULFPORT, Miss. (WJTV) – A D'Iberville man was sentenced to 97 months in federal prison followed by 17 years of supervised release for possessing visual depictions of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

Benjamin Lee Poiroux, 40, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Gulfport, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. He was also ordered to pay $74,000 in restitution and a $3,000 special assessment under the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act of 2018.

According to court documents, Poiroux met with Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents at the Gulfport Airport and agreed to have his electronic devices subject to a forensic search. Prosecutors said a search of his iPad, laptop and cell phone revealed he possessed more than 1,300 visual images and 75 videos of visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

Poiroux was indicted by a federal grand jury and pleaded guilty on February 22, 2024, to possession of visual depictions of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

The case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Cybercrimes Division of the Mississippi Attorney General's Office.