Current:Home > NewsFired Jaguars Jumbotron operator sentenced to 220 years for child sex abuse -Prime Capital Blueprint
Fired Jaguars Jumbotron operator sentenced to 220 years for child sex abuse
View
Date:2025-04-12 22:07:18
A fired Jacksonville Jaguars Jumbotron operator has been sentenced to 220 years in federal prison for multiple offenses involving sexual abuse of children, sex offender violations and causing malfunctions of the EverBank Stadium video boards, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced.
Samuel Arthur Thompson, 53, of St. Augustine, Florida, was found guilty in November of producing, receiving and possessing child sex abuse material, producing it while required to register as a sex offender, violating the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, sending unauthorized damaging commands to a protected computer and possessing a firearm as a felon.
Thompson was convicted of sodomizing a 14-year-old boy in Alabama in 1998. He was hired as a contractor by the Jaguars in about 2013 to consult on the design and installation of the Jaguars’ new video board network and later operate it on gamedays. His contract required him to report his conviction, but he did not, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. The Jaguars did not renew Thompson’s contract in January 2018 after learning of his conviction and status as a registered sex offender.
Before his contract expired, the investigation determined Thompson installed remote access software on a spare server of the Jaguars. He then remotely accessed computers that controlled the Jumbotron during three 2018 games causing the video boards to repeatedly malfunction.
The Jaguars determined the outages were being caused by someone sending commands via the spare server. So they set up a "honeypot" by putting the server on its own network and removing its access to the other computers that controlled the Jumbotron. During the next NFL game, the spare server was again remotely accessed and led to the Internet Protocol address of the intruder. The FBI then traced it to Thompson’s residence, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.
All things Jaguars: Latest Jacksonville Jaguars news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.
In July 2019 the FBI executed a search warrant at Thompson’s home and seized a number of his computers. They also seized a firearm from his nightstand, which he was prohibited from having as a felon.
Files from Thompson’s iPhone, iPad and two laptops showed that each of those devices had been used to remotely access the spare server. The FBI also found thousands of images and hundreds of videos on Thompson’s personal devices depicting child sexual abuse, including video and photos that Thompson had produced in June 2019, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Thompson’s voice could be heard speaking to the children at the beginning of the video, which was taken in his living room.
Investigators also interviewed three young boys who revealed further confirmation involving sexual abuse. The children were 7, 8 and 10 years old at the time.
In July 2019, Thompson fled to the Philippines where his passport was revoked, and he was deported in January 2020. The FBI arrested him when he was brought back to the U.S.
Further investigation revealed he had sexually exploited two additional children, including one Thompson encountered as he was fleeing from prosecution in July 2019, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.
"This case exemplifies the unrelenting tenacity of investigators who pursue justice for innocent victims of crime," said Coult Markovsky, FBI Jacksonville’s acting special agent in charge. "Samuel Thompson repeatedly abused and exploited innocent children, inflicting immeasurable hurt on his victims. He also abused and exploited his employer by installing malicious software to manipulate their systems, which could have caused significantly more damage if not detected. Let this sentence serve as a pledge to all victims of crime that the FBI and our partners will doggedly pursue those who prey on them."
Several other agencies contributed to the investigation.
veryGood! (986)
Related
- SFO's new sensory room helps neurodivergent travelers fight flying jitters
- Steven Tyler accused of 'mauling and groping' teen model in new sexual assault lawsuit
- South Carolina city pays $500,000 to man whose false arrest sparked 2021 protests
- 2 killed as flooding hits Kenya, sweeping away homes and destroying roads, officials say
- Israel lets Palestinians go back to northern Gaza for first time in over a year as cease
- Jamaican security forces shot more than 100 people this year. A body camera was used only once
- Meg Ryan on what romance means to her — and why her new movie isn't really a rom-com
- Purdue coach Ryan Walters on Michigan football scandal: 'They aren't allegations'
- Stamford Road collision sends motorcyclist flying; driver arrested
- NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race promises wide-open battle among rising stars
Ranking
- Krispy Kreme offers a free dozen Grinch green doughnuts: When to get the deal
- Trump, other Republicans call for travel restrictions, sparking new 'Muslim ban' fears
- Trumps in court, celebrities in costume, and SO many birds: It's the weekly news quiz
- Former Missouri officer pleads guilty after prosecutors say he kicked a suspect in the head
- Rolling Loud 2024: Lineup, how to stream the world's largest hip hop music festival
- Chicago-area police entered wrong home, held disabled woman and grandkids for hours, lawsuit alleges
- 2 teens plead not guilty in fatal shooting of Montana college football player
- Jennifer Lopez says Ben Affleck makes her feels 'more beautiful' than her past relationships
Recommendation
Toyota to invest $922 million to build a new paint facility at its Kentucky complex
If you think you are hidden on the internet, think again! Stalk yourself to find out
Most Arizona hospital CEOs got raises, made millions, during pandemic, IRS filings say
Maleesa Mooney Case: Autopsy Reveals Model Was Not Pregnant at Time of Death
John Galliano out at Maison Margiela, capping year of fashion designer musical chairs
Biden administration awards $653 million in grants for 41 projects to upgrade ports
Appeals courts temporarily lifts Trump’s gag order as he fights the restrictions on his speech
Maleesa Mooney Case: Autopsy Reveals Model Was Not Pregnant at Time of Death