COLUMBIA, S.C. — A Columbia man has been sentenced to several years in prison after pleading guilty to charges related to child sexual abuse materials.
The U.S. Department of Justice said 62-year-old David Elliot Paulsen was sentenced to 14 years following an investigation launched in May 2023. Prosecutors said Paulsen entered a residential reentry center to complete the rest of his previous incarceration, which was tied to another child pornography conviction in 2014.
According to evidence provided in court, in July of the same year, Paulsen was found to have a contraband cell phone containing over 1,200 images and at least one video considered child sexual abuse materials.
The U.S. Department of Justice said Paulsen has three previous federal convictions for possession of child sex abuse materials and one past conviction for failure to register as a sex offender.
A U.S. District Court Judge sentenced Paulsen to 168 months in prison, followed by court-ordered supervision for the rest of his life.
