A former federal employee who worked at the Architect of the Capitol at the Library of Congress has been sentenced to 8 years in prison for repeatedly downloading child pornography according to an announcement from the Justice Department.
Gary Lee Peksa was a sheet metal mechanic when he worked at the Architect of the Capitol. When he was connected to the public WiFi network at the Library of Congress, he used his cellphone to access websites that contained images and videos of child pornography while in his office, the bathroom and a break room. He also used his personal laptop, cellphone, and WiFi service to access similar materials at his home.
He got caught when the Library of Congress network security operations center notified investigators of web traffic on the Library of Congress public wireless network of browsing associated with child pornography and the sexual exploitation of children.
In July 2019, Capitol Police seized Peksa’s cellphone and laptop. The cellphone had 199 images that showed minor boys and girls exposing their genitals and/or engaging in sexual activity. The laptop had 215 files that depicted young girls being sexually abused and assaulted.
He was arrested on October 21, 2019. Peska pleaded guilty in December 2021, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to one count of receipt of child pornography.
Following his prison term, Peksa will be placed on 20 years of supervised release. He also will be required to pay $47,000 in restitution to victims depicted in the child pornography he received and possessed, and he also must register as a sex offender for at least 15 years.
