In a plea agreement with federal prosecutors, Amador Gonzalez Jr. pleaded guilty to one count of possession of visual depictions of sexual activity by minors. In exchange, prosecutors agreed not to pursue other charges stemming from the federal child pornography investigation.

U.S. District Judge Walter S. Smith Jr. set a sentencing hearing for July 5. Gonzalez, 44, could be sentenced to up to 10 years in federal prison and handed a fine of up to $250,000.

The plea came three months after federal agents searched Gonzalez’s Hewitt home and confiscated computer equipment linked to a federal child pornography investigation out of Florida, Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Frazier said.

On Jan. 20 FBI agents searched a Palm Beach, Fla., home and found a computer that had been used for an Internet chat room dedicated to child pornography, Frazier said. While examining the computer, investigators found several Web postings by a person with the screen name “All of me” and traced them to Gonzalez’s home computer.

FBI agents searched Gonzalez’s home Feb. 6 and found computer storage equipment with more than 600 images of child pornography, including at least 79 identifiable children, federal authorities said. Shortly after the search, Gonzalez admitted to an FBI agent he had downloaded and possessed the images, according to court records.

Waco police officials placed Gonzalez on administrative leave on the day of the Hewitt search. He resigned from the department the next day after serving more than 20 years as a non-ranking officer. Gonzalez also moonlighted as a security officer at Waco’s Methodist Children’s Home for about five years, ending the day he resigned from the police department. Bobby Gillam, the home’s executive director, has said Gonzalez had little interaction with youths at the facility and that an internal investigation turned up no problems involving the officer.

Under the terms of his release, Gonzalez is to wear a device so authorities can track him 24 hours a day. He is to remain at least 500 feet from schools and other places children gather and can only leave home between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m., court officials have said. Monitoring equipment has also been installed on his computer.

Gonzalez’s attorney, former U.S. attorney Bill Johnston, said his client’s conviction represents only a snapshot of a life that was largely dedicated to law enforcement.

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