In an ironic twist, a federal employee in charge of an office that targets and investigates child pornography now faces federal criminal charges that allege a variety of child porn offenses.

Until he was arrested by FBI agents last Tuesday, Anthony Mangione, 50, was the head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement ("ICE") for South Florida. A major goal of ICE agents and investigators, as enunciated on the agency's website, is "to identify, investigate and arrest child predators and sexual offenders."

Now Mangione is alleged by the government to be one of those offenders. In a three-count indictment unsealed last Wednesday, Department of Justice prosecutors charge that he transported, was in receipt of and possessed child pornography.

Federal agents closely examined Mangione's computer to determine that he "possessed electronically stored messages that contained images of child pornography" between March and September of last year.

Mangione has nearly three decades of experience in law enforcement. In an initial appearance in federal court in West Palm Beach, he pleaded not guilty to all charges. He has been on leave from his duties with the Miami ICE office since April, when a federal investigation first commenced following an alleged discovery of various images he received on his home computer from another party sending an e-mail.

Mangione could receive a 20-year prison term if he is convicted of the charges he faces. In the event he is, he would also have to register as a sex offender.

Related Resource: CNN, "South Florida ICE official arrested on child porn charges" Sept. 29, 2011