49-Year-Old San Angelo Man Gets Six Years in TDCJ for Online Solicitation of Minor

This morning, 49-year-old David Keith Pullin pled guilty to the charges of Online Solicitation of a Minor and Possession of Child Pornography at the Tom Green County Courthouse. He received six years of confinement in the TDCJ-ID for these charges.

According to court records, Pullin, on Dec. 13, 2014, “intentionally and knowingly” possessed visual material that visually depicted a child younger than 18 years of age. This case was the result of a DPS operation where officers placed an online ad posing as an underage girl. Mr. Pullin answered the ad; engaged in a sexual conversation with the undercover officers; set up a meeting; and, drove to the meeting place where law enforcement apprehended him. At that point, officials arrested Pullin and seized his computers and cell phone. Those devices also proved to contain child pornography.

Court records also stated that, as a result of this operation, several other defendants were arrested and charged with online solicitation of a minor.

“As the internet becomes more prevalent in our daily lives, children are increasingly at risk to sexual predators,” said Jason Ferguson, Assistant District Attorney. “Due to the efforts of DPS Criminal Investigation Division and other local officers, we were able to identify this Defendant, arrest him, and get him off the street. Like many of the other defendants who were arrested as part of this sting, this Defendant had no criminal history.”

Ferguson added that, as with the others arrested during this investigation, and due to the nature of the offense and the risk to the children of the San Angelo community, the D.A.’s plea agreement was for time in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

“In addition, when law enforcement discovered he was in possession of child pornography, we added that charge,” said Ferguson. “While online solicitation of a minor will require him to register as a sex offender for 10 years, the conviction for possession of child pornography requires lifetime registration.”

Ferguson also said he applauded both DPS and the San Angelo Police Department for their work in this case, from the investigation and arrest, continuing through to the discovery of the child pornography.

“Their work allowed us to send Mr. Pullin to prison for six years and require him to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life,” said Ferguson.