Former Youth Leader Sentenced for Child Porn

BEAUMONT — A 53-year-old former youth club leader from Lufkin has been sentenced in Beaumont to federal prison for child pornography violations. Patrick Sanders pleaded guilty on April 22 to possession of child pornography and was sentenced Tuesday to 57 months in federal prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Thad Heartfield. According to information presented in court, on May 4, 2009, law enforcement officers received information that Sanders possessed images of child pornography on his computer at the Boys and Girls Club in Lufkin, where he worked as the Director. A forensic examination of the computer confirmed it contained images of child pornography. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse.