U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson announced that Philip Andrew Douglass, a former federal officer from Pineville, N.C., appeared in court to face charges related to child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The charges include possession and distribution of CSAM. The announcement was made in collaboration with Chip Hawley, Director of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI).
According to the indictment unsealed in federal court, Douglass allegedly distributed and accessed CSAM between July 24 and August 20, 2024. At that time, he served as an Enforcement and Removal Operations Officer with Homeland Security Investigations.
Ferguson stated, “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to holding accountable those who commit crimes involving vulnerable children, especially those serving in positions of public trust.” He also commended the SBI for their work on this case.
Director Hawley emphasized the SBI’s dedication to protecting children from exploitation. “I take great pride in the work of our Computer Crimes Unit and our collaboration with federal partners,” said Hawley. He thanked the Inspector General at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their partnership.
Douglass appeared before Magistrate Judge David C. Keesler and was released on bond with conditions including electronic monitoring and warrantless searches by the U.S. Probation Office.
The investigation is led by the SBI, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Cervantes prosecuting the case. It is important to note that these are allegations, and Douglass is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
This case falls under Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse nationwide.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
