A McAlester man was sentenced to serve six years in federal prison for possessing nearly 600 images and videos of child sexual abuse material on two separate cell phones.
Marcus Edward Lee, 33, was originally indicted July 10, 2024, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma for distribution of certain material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor and possession of certain material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor
Lee entered a guilty plea on the possession charge in January without a negotiated plea agreement, according to court documents.
According to court documents, Lee was found to possess nearly 600 images and seven videos of child sexual abuse material on two cellular devices after a federal search warrant was conducted at his McAlester residence following a years-long investigation.
“These images and files depict unspeakable acts against children,” featuring children as young as two years old, court documents state.
In a motion for variance filed in June, attorneys for Lee asked a judge to sentence Lee “to six months imprisonment followed by one year of home confinement.” Attorneys stated in the motion that they understood the request was “exceptional” and called Lee “an exceptional person.”
Attorneys argued Lee was being sentenced for his first criminal conviction and that he was a “gentle man, deeply devoted to his family, his work, and his faith,” and said he was humble and kind before stating Lee was autistic.
The motion states Lee did not seek the content and that he joined internet groups to “obtain large amounts of free content because he had no disposable income.”
“The downloaded content included CSAM,” his attorneys argued. “He possessed it, but not with the same intent that is typical of this type of case.”
Prosecutors argued Lee’s conduct included the distribution and possession of child sexual abuse material “depicting abuse that cannot be described as anything other than horrific and disturbing.”
“This was not an ‘accidental’ download of child sexual abuse material,” prosecutors argued. “The defendant possessed nearly 600 files on two separate cell phones.”
Records show that, along with his six-year prison sentence, Lee is ordered to register as a sex offender for life, along with five years of supervision after he is released.