FORT WORTH -- A former Texas Wesleyan University professor who was accused of downloading and trading child pornography for the last 10 years pleaded guilty today to distributing it.
The professor, identified as Michael K. Gilbert, 29, of Fort Worth, will now be sentenced on Nov. 26 before U. S. District Judge Terry Means. He faces a maximum of 20 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine on the federal charge of distribution of child pornography.Gilbert has been in custody since his arrest in early April.His name was off the faculty list on the university website hours after his arrest.An investigation of Gilbert began when an FBI agent, undercover and using a file-sharing software program, downloaded still images of child pornography from Gilbert's computer IP address in Fort Worth, according to a federal criminal complaint.Federal agents searched Gilbert's home and seized his computer.While agents were at the home, Gilbert admitted using file-sharing software and said he had been downloading and trading child porn for about 10 years, according to the criminal complaint.Federal authorities examined his computer and found images and video files of minors engaging in sexual acts, the criminal complaint stated.On his Facebook page, Gilbert noted that he taught general, analytical and instrumental chemistry at Texas Wesleyan.A native of Shelbyville, Ky., Gilbert attended Bellarmine University and the University of Tennessee, according to his Facebook page.Domingo Ramirez Jr., 817-390-7763; Twitter: @mingoramirezjr.
