Former Gilroy resident Aaron Carlon was sentenced to five and a half years in prison on Monday, Dec. 9 after he pleaded guilty in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California San Jose Division to one of two felony counts of child pornography.
The first count allowed for a penalty of at least five and up to 20 years of imprisonment along with a $250,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release. The United States dismissed the second count of the indictment, which could have landed Carlon an additional 10 years of imprisonment, another $250,000 fine and at least five more years of supervised release.
Carlon’s home on the 200 block of Lewis Avenue was raided by FBI officers Feb. 2, 2012. Agents took two hard disk drives, six thumb drives, a Dell desktop computer and 11 floppy disks containing depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, according to federal court records.
The FBI arrested Carlon, then 42, at his workplace in October of 2012, on a warrant for two felony counts of child pornography.
Upon release, Carlon will participate in a mental health treatment plan as directed by his probation officer. He will also register with the state sex offender registration agency in whatever state he chooses to live within three days of his release. A sex offender who fails to properly register may face fines and up to 10 years in prison, according to the Department of Justice website.
During his five years of supervision, Carlon won’t be allowed to loiter within 100 feet of schoolyards, parks, public swimming pools, playgrounds, youth centers, video arcade facilities, and other places primarily used by minors.
His personal computers, cell phones, electronic games, and other devices, will be subject to unannounced search and seizure and the installation of search and monitoring software and hardware. Carlon also won’t be allowed to encrypt data or upgrade, reinstall, repair or modify the hardware and software on the computers without prior approval from a probation officer.
Finally, he is prohibited from communicating with a minor, unless he is in the presence of their parent or legal guardian and Carlon has made the the adult aware of his prior offense. The condition does not apply, when minors are serving as waiters, cashiers, ticket vendors or other commercial services positions.
The court recommended that Carlon be designated to a facility in North Carolina to facilitate family visits.
The property seized in February 2012 was forfeited to the United States.
