Lincoln--On April 7, 2015, Billy J. Schrader, age 32 formerly of North Platte, appeared for sentencing in U.S. District Court in Lincoln. Schrader had previously pled guilty to one count of manufacturing child pornography. Senior United States District Judge Richard G. Kopf ordered Schrader to serve 30 years in federal prison, the maximum sentence allowed. After his release from prison Schrader will serve an additional 25 years under supervised release, and be required to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life.

In November 2013, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office began an investigation into allegations of child abuse committed by Schrader. As a result of that investigation, deputies seized electronic items including cell phones and computers. An examination of the computers by officers of the North Platte Police Department resulted in the discovery of child pornography generated by Schrader and a co-defendant.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

This case was investigated by the North Platte Police Department and the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office. Assistant Nebraska Attorney General Kale Burdick and Assistant U.S. Attorney Steve Russell prosecuted the case.