Former South Lake Tahoe coach sentenced to five years in prison for child pornography

A South Lake Tahoe man who was a former area soccer and snowboard coach was sentenced today to five years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release for the distribution of child pornography.

Timothy Mackey, 42, was arrested at his Black Bart Avenue home in April 2020 after a search warrant was served. Mackey's arrest was the result of a joint operation of the U.S. Marshal's Office, FBI, El Dorado County Sheriff's Office, El Dorado County District Attorney's Office, and the South Lake Tahoe Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise N. Yasinow prosecuted the case.

According to court documents, Mackey was a member of chat groups that shared child pornography on the social media platform LiveMe, including a group named “No Limit!!!” On two occasions in February 2020, Mackey, using the username “bag of rock,” posted nine images of child pornography in the “No Limit!!!” group. Mackey was also the administrator of at least one LiveMe chat group devoted to the exchange of child pornography, meaning he moderated the chat and was able to decide who entered the chatroom.\

Mackey had pleaded guilty to the charges in June of this year.

Mackey and his wife had applied to become foster parents prior to his 2020 arrest. Mackey had been employed by Heavenly Mountain Resort as a snowboard coach and by Lake Tahoe Unified School District as part of the high school's junior varsity boy's soccer coaching staff.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.