Raleigh County Pedophile with Hundreds of Pictures, Videos of Child Pornography Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison

BECKLEY, WV—A 21-year-old Raleigh County pedophile who collected hundreds of images of child pornography was sentenced today to five years in federal prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release. Steven Russell Helton, of Beaver, Raleigh County, West Virginia, previously pleaded guilty to child pornography charges in January. Helton’s sentencing was handed down today by United States District Judge Irene C. Berger in Beckley.
On December 29, 2010, Helton possessed on his computer more than 600 pictures and videos of children having sex or performing sexual acts. Helton is the third defendant to be sentenced on child pornography charges this week in the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia.
In similar federal court cases this week, Tracey E. Cooper, 38, of Giles, Kanawha County, West Virginia, was sentenced on Tuesday to three years in prison followed by 15 years of supervised release for possessing more than 600 images of child pornography and trading the images with other pedophiles over the Internet. Also, 54-year-old Charleston pedophile Jonathan Douglas Layne was sentenced on Wednesday to 10 years in federal prison on child pornography charges. Layne similarly collected more than 600 pictures and videos of children having sex or performing sexual acts.
Since January 2012, 22 defendants have been convicted as part of U.S. Attorney Goodwin’s ongoing initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse in the Southern District of West Virginia. Twenty-one defendants have been sentenced to a total of more than 95 years (1,153 months, to be exact) in federal prison. The remaining defendant currently awaits sentencing.
The West Virginia State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Federal Bureau of Investigation West Virginia Cyber Crimes Task Force conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Lisa Johnston handled the prosecution.

Braddock Man Charged with Possession of Child Pornography

PITTSBURGH—A resident of Allegheny County was indicted on May 7, 2013, by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of possession of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
The one-count indictment, unsealed on May 17, named David Dzermejko, 64, of 318 Mills Avenue, Braddock, Pennsylvania, as the sole defendant.
According to the indictment, on or about January 11, 2013, Dzermejko possessed visual depictions, namely, still images in computer graphics files, the production of which involved the use of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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 individuals who sexually exploit children  and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

Charleston Pedophile Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison

CHARLESTON, WV—U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin announced that a 54-year-old Charleston pedophile was sentenced on May 15 to 10 years in federal prison on child pornography charges. Jonathan Douglas Layne’s prison sentence will be followed by 20 years of supervised release for possessing child pornography. The sentence was handed down by United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. Layne previously pleaded guilty in January.
Layne collected more than 600 pictures and videos of children having sex or performing sexual acts. Layne lived in St. Albans, West Virginia at the time the crime occurred.
“Pedophiles who download and share child pornography are exploiting children, plain and simple,” said U.S. Attorney Goodwin. “My office will continue to spare no effort in prosecuting these types of cases.”
In October 1987, Layne committed two or more crimes involving sexual abuse of a minor. Layne was previously convicted in June 1989 in the Circuit Court of Kanawha County, West Virginia of first-degree sexual abuse involving a minor.
Since January 2012, 22 defendants have been convicted as part of U.S. Attorney Goodwin’s ongoing initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse in the Southern District of West Virginia. Twenty defendants have been sentenced to a total of more than 90 years (1,093 months, to be exact) in federal prison. The remaining two defendants currently await sentencing.
The U.S. Marshals Service, the West Virginia State Police, the West Virginia State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation West Virginia Cyber Crimes Task Force conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Lisa Johnston handled the prosecution.

Federal Jury Convicts Tyler James Schaeffer on Firearms Charges

KNOXVILLE, TN—On May 17, 2013, following a three-day trial in U.S. District Court, Knoxville, Tennessee, a jury convicted Tyler James Schaeffer, 22, of Seymour, Tennessee, of three counts of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to three robberies of businesses engaged in interstate commerce (Hobbs Act robbery) and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a methylone trafficking conspiracy.
Schaeffer’s sentencing is set for 10:00 a.m., October 9, 2013, in U.S. District Court in Knoxville, Tennessee. He faces a sentence of at least 82 years and up to life on the firearms convictions and up to an additional 160 years in prison on the robbery and drug trafficking convictions. There is no parole in the federal system.
These latest convictions stem from a series of armed robberies in Knox, Sevier, and Blount Counties between July 26, 2010 and September 14, 2012. Schaeffer previously pleaded guilty to all of the robberies, a total of seven, as well as the methylone trafficking conspiracy. Those pleas were accepted by the Honorable Thomas A. Varlan, Chief U.S. District Judge, on April 30, 2013. Chief Judge Varlan also presided over Schaeffer’s trial.
Schaeffer brandished a knife in at least two of the robberies, and firearms in four of the robberies. Based on the proof available at the time of trial, the United States pursued firearms charges in connection with three of the seven robberies, as well as the methylone trafficking conspiracy. The jury convicted Schaeffer of each of those four firearms-related counts.
Jerel Bray-Sean Johnson, 20, of Knoxville, Tennessee, and Rodney James Ruffin, 22, of Sevierville, Tennessee, previously pleaded guilty to related robbery, drug trafficking, and firearms charges and did not go to trial with Schaeffer.
According to evidence presented at trial, Schaeffer brandished handguns, including a revolver he obtained on the black market, when he robbed local stores, restaurants, and drug traffickers. Evidence detailed how Schaeffer obtained the black market revolver; how he used it in connection with two robberies and a methylone conspiracy; and, ultimately, how the revolver was discarded in a south Knoxville storm drain days after an automobile collision involving Schaeffer on September 16, 2012. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Knoxville Police Department (KPD) recovered the firearm on April 9, 2013, just over a month before trial was to commence. The evidence also included testimony about Schaeffer’s trafficking of methylone on the University of Tennessee (UT) campus following the UT/Florida football game on September 15, 2012, while armed with the revolver. Methylone, a Schedule I controlled substance, is a “party” drug sometimes referred to as “Molly.” Schaeffer took the stand and testified that he used “fake” guns in the robberies and denied ever using the revolver recovered from the storm drain.
Law enforcement agencies participating in the joint investigation which led to indictment and subsequent conviction of Tyler James Schaeffer included the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force, KPD, Office of District Attorney General James B. Dunn, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Knox County Sheriff’s Office, Sevier County Sheriff’s Office, Sevierville Police Department, Blount County Sheriff’s Office, and Alcoa Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelly A. Norris and Tracy L. Stone represented the United States at trial.
Following sentencing on October 9, 2013, Schaeffer will be returned to Sevier County authorities to stand trial for a deadly automobile collision which occurred on September 16, 2012, as well as a burglary charge.

Jimmy Rollins Sentenced to 300 Months in Prison for Production of Child Pornography

CHATTANOOGA, TN—Jimmy Rollins, 45, of Palmer, Tennessee, was sentenced to serve 300 months in federal prison, five years’ supervised release, and a $100 special assessment by the Honorable Harry S. Mattice, Jr., U.S. District Judge. Rollins pleaded guilty in February 2013 to production of child pornography.
In February 2012, an undercover investigation by the Winchester Police Department identified Rollins as a person who used the Internet to traffic in pornographic images of children. A search of his home in May 2012 revealed equipment used in the production of child pornography and multiple photographic images and videos of Rollins engaged in sexual activity with a known minor. All the child pornographic scenes were set in a bedroom that can be recognized as belonging to Rollins. Rollins had been previously convicted in 1994 of two counts of statutory rape in the Criminal Circuit Court of Grundy County, Tennessee.
The indictment and subsequent conviction of Rollins was the result of an investigation conducted by the Winchester Police Department, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney John P. MacCoon represented the United States.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), 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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about PSC, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “Resources.”

German Rolando Vicente-Sapon Sentenced to Serve 15 Years in Prison for Transporting a Minor Across the Mexican Border for Unlawful Sexual Activity

CHATTANOOGA, TN—On Thursday, May 23, 2013, German Rolando Vicente-Sapon, 41, of Guatemala, was sentenced by the Honorable Curtis Collier, U.S. District Judge, to serve 188 months in federal prison.
Following a three-day trial, a jury convicted Vicente-Sapon in November 2012 for transporting a minor across the Mexican border for unlawful sexual activity and two additional smuggling charges, also involving the minor who was an alien from Guatemala. According to proof presented at trial, the victim was 16 years old and facing an arranged marriage in Guatemala when Vicente-Sapon, who was then in his 30s, offered to help her come to the United States for a better life. Testimony showed that Vicente-Sapon paid $2,000 for others to smuggle her to Chattanooga, Tennessee. Once she arrived, he coerced her into having sexual relations with him, and she relented, believing she had no other choice.
During the sentencing hearing, Vicente-Sapon claimed that he had fallen in love with the girl, a statement that Judge Collier found unbelievable.
Agencies involved in this investigation included Homeland Security Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Jay Woods, Assistant United States Attorney, represented the United States.

Youth Minister at Fifth Street Baptist Church in Levelland in Federal Custody for Attempted Enticement of a Minor

LUBBOCK, TX—Trevor Jacob Fortner, 25, of Lubbock, Texas, made his first appearance in federal court in Lubbock, Texas, this morning, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Nancy M. Koenig, following his arrest on a federal complaint charging attempted enticement of a minor. He was ordered detained, pending a detention hearing set for May 15, 2013. Today’s announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña of the Northern District of Texas.
Fortner is a youth minister at the Fifth Street Baptist Church in Levelland, Texas, and he also works at the First Baptist Church in Lubbock in its publications and graphics department.
According to the affidavit filed in the case, a detective with the Lubbock Police Department (LPD) working in an undercover capacity and posing as a 15-year-old female, “Katy,” encountered an individual via the Internet, later identified as Fortner, who purported to be a 26-year-old married male. Katy provided Fortner a telephone number and a new e-mail address, and Fortner began sending Katy text messages from his cellphone. On May 7, 2013, Fortner sent Katy an image of his facial profile as well as a sexually explicit image. Fortner sent sexually explicit text messages to Katy and asked Katy to send him a “dirty pic.” Fortner was arrested by the FBI and LPD on May 8, 2013.
A federal complaint is a written statement of the essential facts of the offenses charged and must be made under oath before a magistrate judge. A defendant is entitled to the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. The maximum statutory penalty for the offense as charged is Life in federal prison, a $250,000 fine and a lifetime of supervised release.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative that was launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/ and click on the tab “Resources.”
The matter is being investigated by the FBI, the LPD, and the LPD’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Cunningham is prosecuting.

Couple Indicted for Sex Trafficking of a Minor and Production of Child Pornography

HOUSTON—Arieal J. Bishop, 28, and David J. Golson, 26, have been ordered detained pending trial on charges of sex trafficking and producing child pornography, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today.
Bishop and Golson appeared in court in Houston today following their transportation from Arkansas where they were being held on similar federal charges. Their official cities of residence could not be immediately determined, but testimony in court today revealed one or both of them had been in Florida, Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, and New Mexico.
The indictment, returned April 17, 2013, charges both with one count of producing child pornography and one count of trafficking of a minor for commercial sex using force, fraud, or coercion. Bishop is further charged with one count of transporting a minor for the purpose of engaging in prostitution or other criminal sexual activity. The alleged crimes occurred between April and September 2011, according to the indictment.
Testimony at the detention hearing today indicated that Bishop filmed Golson engaging in sex with a 17-year-old girl within a short time after meeting them. Bishop allegedly posted advertisements for commercial sex for both herself and the victim in Houston as well as other cities in Texas and in Louisiana. The victim allegedly traveled with Bishop to Louisiana where they met up with Golson and continued to post ads and engage in commercial sex, according to the information presented in court. The victim gave money she earned from commercial sex to Bishop who gave it to Golson.
During this investigation, Bishop and Golson, along with Bishop’s sister, were arrested in Arkansas and charged with similar sex trafficking offenses involving a different minor victim.
Today, U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephen W. Smith indicated that Bishop and Golson were a flight risk and detained them pending further criminal proceedings. The court considered that neither has any legitimate source of income, residence, or significant ties to Houston that would assure their appearance at trial.
For the child pornography charges, they each face a minimum of 15 and up to 30 years in federal prison and up to life for sex trafficking, upon conviction. Both charges also carry as possible punishment a maximum $250,000 fine. For the transportation charge, Bishop further faces a minimum of 10 years up to life imprisonment. Upon completion of any prison term imposed, they also face a possible lifetime term of supervised release and will be required to register as sex offenders.
This case was investigated by the Houston FBI Innocence Lost Task Force and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sherri L. Zack.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.

Mill Creek Man Sentenced to 22 Years in Prison for Production of Child Pornography

A 58-year-old Mill Creek, Washington man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 22 years in prison and lifetime supervised release for production of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan. Phillip Steven Allen pleaded guilty December 21, 2012. At sentencing U.S. District Judge Richard A. Jones told him, “You grossly violated the trust” of these young victims. Judge Jones noted that Allen “permanently placed in the stream of commerce the images of these young children.”
“This defendant molested young relatives and then victimized them again by distributing sexually explicit images of them to others via the Internet,” said U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan. “It is hard to imagine more depraved conduct, which will haunt these young children for years to come. This defendant has fully earned this 22-year prison term.”
According to records filed in the case, Allen came to the attention of law enforcement in 2010, when they served a search warrant on a residence in Bloomington, Indiana. The occupant of the home was being investigated for distribution of child pornography. Investigators determined that the Indiana resident had sent child pornography to an e-mail address in Mill Creek. Further investigation linked the address to Allen. In July 2011, agents served a search warrant at Allen’s address. A computer and two external hard drives were analyzed. Law enforcement found pornographic pictures on the devices of young children who are related to Allen. The images have been found in three separate investigations of possession of child pornography across the country.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
The case was investigated by the FBI. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jerrod C. Patterson. Mr. Patterson is the Project Safe Childhood coordinator for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Press contact for the U.S. Attorney’s Office is Emily Langlie at (206) 553-4110 or Emily.Langlie@usdoj.gov.

Tulalip Tribal Member Indicted for Second-Degree Murder in Death of Toddler

A federal grand jury in Seattle today indicted Christina D. Carlson, 37, an enrolled member of the Tulalip Tribes, with second-degree murder and two counts of criminal mistreatment related to the October 2012 death of her young daughter and the neglect of her second daughter, announced U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan. Carlson will be arraigned on the indictment on May 23, 2013, in U.S. District Court in Seattle.
Carlson has been in federal custody at the Federal Detention Center at SeaTac, Washington, since January 11, 2013. Carlson was originally charged by a criminal complaint, which is the sworn statement of the investigating agent. To proceed to trial, a defendant must be indicted by a grand jury. That indictment, listing the three charges, was returned today. The criminal complaint described how on October 8, 2012, emergency crews were called to an address on Marine Drive NE on the Tulalip Tribal Reservation where Carlson was performing CPR on her 19-month-old daughter, who was unresponsive on a blanket on the ground. The child was unconscious, not breathing, and covered in urine and feces. A second child, a 33-month old girl, was found strapped in her car seat in a nearby vehicle. The child was pale, unresponsive, and covered in urine and feces. The girl was transported to the hospital and later recovered. The 19-month-old child died, and the Snohomish County Medical examiner classified the manner of death as homicide by parental neglect. According to the report, the child was malnourished and dehydrated, weighing only 19 pounds. The child’s skin in the diaper area was excoriated and infested with maggots. Her hair was infested with lice.
The investigation revealed that Carlson had been living in the car with the girls on the property since mid-September. On October 8, 2012, Carlson had left the girls in the car while she went to use a phone at the residence on the property. Carlson was away from the car for more than an hour by some estimates. About 20 minutes after the neighbors told her to go back to the car and her children, Carlson returned asking them to call 9-1-1 because the youngest child was unresponsive.
Second-degree murder is punishable by up to life in prison, with a mandatory minimum 30 years in prison for the death of a child. Criminal mistreatment is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by the Tulalip Tribal Police and the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney J. Tate London.
Press contact for the U.S. Attorney’s Office is Emily Langlie at (206) 553-4110 or Emily.Langlie@usdoj.gov.

Roscoe Man Pleads Guilty to Transporting Child Pornography

ROCKFORD—A Roscoe, Illinois man pleaded guilty today in federal court to two counts of transporting child pornography via the Internet.
In pleading guilty, Jason Nicoson, 35, admitted before U.S. District Court Judge Frederick J. Kapala that in December 2011 and January 2012, he used the Internet to transport images and videos contained multiple visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Nicoson’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 6, 2013, at 2:30 p.m.
Nicoson faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 20 years in prison, a term of supervised release following imprisonment of at least five years and up to life, and a fine of up to $250,000 on each count. The court must impose a reasonable sentence guided by the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.
The sentencing was announced by Gary S. Shapiro, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Cory B. Nelson, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Illinois State Police and the Illinois Internet Crimes Against Children Task force assisted in the investigation.
The government is being represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Love.

Carmel Man Petitions to Plead Guilty to Charges of Possession, Distribution of Child Pornography

INDIANAPOLIS—Joseph H. Hogsett, the United States Attorney, announced today that former FBI agent Donald J. Sachtleben, age 54, of Carmel, has filed a petition to plead guilty to charges of possessing and distributing child pornography. As part of the defendant’s agreement to plead guilty, Sachtleben will pay restitution to an identified victim portrayed in the images and videos he allegedly possessed.
“Our Project Safe Childhood team is dedicated to investigating and prosecuting anyone who is found to have sexually exploited children—no matter who they are,” Hogsett said. “Most importantly, we are similarly committed to identifying the silent victims of these crimes and providing them the assistance and restitution they deserve.”
According to the criminal complaint filed one year ago, federal and state investigators became aware of an individual trading images of child pornography online in September 2010. An extensive investigation into that individual led to the arrest of a defendant in Illinois in January 2012. Upon arrest, a forensic search of that defendant’s computer equipment and e-mail accounts allegedly revealed that he had been actively trading the explicit materials online with numerous other people.
Based on that information, law enforcement were able to trace the alleged online activity to Sachtleben’s home in Carmel. After conducting surveillance over a period of days, a search warrant was obtained on May 3, 2012, and was subsequently executed by law enforcement officers from the Indiana State Police and the FBI Cyber Crime Task Force.
The complaint alleges that an initial forensic examination of Sachtleben’s laptop computer revealed the presence of approximately 30 images and video files containing child pornography. It is alleged that a number of files identified during this initial search matched those that had been found in the course of investigating the Illinois defendant. The complaint further alleges that the laptop’s hard drive contained references to other files known to have been in the possession of the Illinois defendant.
Court documents filed today indicate that Sachtleben has petitioned the federal court to enter a plea of guilty to charges that he knowingly possessed and distributed child pornography. The agreement to plead guilty also includes restitution payments of $20,000 to an identified victim portrayed in the materials Sachtleben allegedly possessed.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven D. DeBrota, who is prosecuting the case for the government, Sachtleben could face five to 20 years in prison for the distribution charge and up to 10 years for the possession charge. Both charges also carry up to a $250,000 fine and lifetime supervised release if he is found to be guilty.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more on Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A criminal complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Taylor County Man Sentenced to 110 Years in Prison for Production and Possession of Child Pornography

BOWLING GREEN, KY—A Taylor County, Kentucky man was sentenced in United States District Court before Chief District Judge Joseph H. McKinley, Jr. to 110 years in prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for violating federal child pornography laws, announced David J. Hale, United States Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky.
Tony Edwin Davis, 50, of Campbellsville, Kentucky, pleaded guilty on February 5, 2013, to a 15-count federal grand jury indictment that charged him with production and possession of child pornography. According to court records, between December 18, 2009 and November 28, 2010, on 14 occasions, Davis knowingly enticed and coerced two girls under 5 years of age to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction. Davis also pleaded guilty to one count of knowingly possessing child pornography on or about May 20, 2012.
“Today’s sentence of 110 years in a federal prison without parole should send a stark message. We are committed to fighting child exploitation and to holding accountable those who would prey upon and harm young children,” stated U.S. Attorney Hale. “I am grateful for the collaborative work of the Taylor County Sherriff’s Department, the Campbellsville Police Department, and the FBI. The Campbellsville community is a safer place.”
“Davis victimized the most innocent members of our community in a horrific manner as shown by the sentence in this case,” said Perrye K. Turner, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Lousiville. “The production of child pornography is activity that the FBI aggressively investigates. We work together with our state, local, and other federal law enforcement partners through Project Safe Childhood to help stop it.”
According to an affidavit filed by an FBI special agent in support of a criminal complaint against Davis, the FBI was contacted by the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office and Campbellsville, Kentucky Police Department on August 10, 2012, when a cell phone, formerly in the possession of the defendant, was found to have images of child pornography.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney A. Spencer McKiness and was investigated by the FBI, the Taylor County Sheriff’s Department, and the Campbellsville Police Department.

* * *

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 individuals who sexually exploit children and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “Resources.”

Westfield Man Sentenced for Possessing Child Pornography

BOSTON—A Westfield man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Springfield for possession of child pornography.
Richard Starr, 56, of Westfield, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Michael A. Ponsor to 42 months in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, restitution of $3,800, and forfeiture of various computer media. In February 2013, Starr pleaded guilty to possession of material involving the sexual exploitation of minors.
While federal agents were conducting a consensual interview with Starr at his residence, he admitted that he had requested files from a child pornography-related website. In response to agents’ request to search Starr’s computers for child pornography, he responded that “chances are you’ll find something.” Starr subsequently did not consent to the search, so agents contacted the Westfield Police Department, which obtained a state search warrant for the residence and proceeded to seize multiple computers and computer media. The FBI conducted a forensic examination of the computer media and discovered tens of thousands of digital images and video files depicting minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Many of these files were located in folders that contained suggestive or explicit titles, such as “Candydolls” and “eternal-nymphets.”
United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; Richard DesLauriers, Special Agent in Charge of Federal Bureau of Investigation Boston Field Division; and Bruce M. Foucart, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. The case was investigated with the assistance of the Westfield Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven H. Breslow of Ortiz’s Springfield Branch Office.

Fitchburg Man Sentenced for Possessing Child Pornography

BOSTON—A Fitchburg man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Worcester for possessing child pornography.
Roy Parry, 49, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Timothy S. Hillman to 10 years in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release. In January 2013, Parry pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography.
In February 2009, Parry placed images containing child pornography in a peer-to-peer file sharing program, and that led federal authorities to obtain a search warrant for his home and computer. The execution of that search warrant in May 2009 resulted in the seizure of thousands of images and hundreds of videos containing child pornography. Additionally, in October 2001, Parry had been previously convicted of possession of child pornography.
United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz and Richard DesLauriers, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Grady and Ortiz’s Worcester Branch Office.

Portland Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Producing Child Pornography

PORTLAND—United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty, II announced that David Muise, 26, of Portland, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland by Judge Nancy Torresen to 25 years in prison and 20 years of supervised release for producing child pornography. Muise pled guilty to the charge on January 29, 2013.
According to court records, in August 2011, Muise took a series of digital pictures of a minor female. One of the pictures depicted the minor engaged in sexually explicit activity with Muise. In April 2012, Muise engaged in a chat over the Internet with an individual in South Carolina using an instant messaging program. During the chat, Muise sent several pictures depicting the minor, including the sexually explicit picture that he had taken in August 2011. A search warrant executed at Muise’s residence in September 2012 revealed numerous sexually explicit photographs of the minor stored in multiple electronic devices.
The investigation was conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Portland Police Department, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Pennsylvania Man Sentenced for Cyberstalking and Child Pornography Offenses

GRAND RAPIDS, MI—U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Miles, Jr., announced today that Joseph J. Ostrowski, 29, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was sentenced yesterday to serve 30 years in federal prison by a federal judge in the Middle District of Pennsylvania for offenses that included a charge of cyberstalking in the Western District of Michigan.
The investigation of the cyberstalking charge by the Lansing, Michigan FBI and the Michigan State University Police Department (MSUPD) resulted in the execution of a federal search warrant for Ostrowski’s residence in Wilkes-Barre in May 2012. That search resulted not only in the seizure of evidence of cyberstalking of MSU students, but also in the discovery that Ostrowski—at the time the head football coach of a local high school—was committing numerous child pornography felonies in Pennsylvania. Charged both in the Western District of Michigan with cyberstalking and in the Middle District of Pennsylvania with numerous child pornography felonies, Ostrowski pled guilty to both cases in Pennsylvania as part of a plea agreement that allowed for the transfer of the Michigan case to Pennsylvania for guilty plea and sentencing.
The investigation began in 2011 after MSUPD was made aware of MSU student social networking sites being compromised and exploited by a then-unknown perpetrator to harass, threaten, and intimidate MSU students. When investigation by the MSU Police Computer Forensic Unit obtained information indicating that the perpetrator resided outside of Michigan, the Lansing FBI was contacted for assistance and joined the investigation. Working together, FBI and MSUPD obtained and executed the federal search warrant that resulted in Ostrowski’s arrest and ultimate conviction.
Commenting on the sentences, U.S. Attorney Miles stated, “Internet communications and social networking are positive in many respects, but they can also be very dangerous. Those who criminally exploit others through the Internet and social networks deserve prosecution. Thanks to the outstanding work of MSUPD and the FBI, there’s one more online predator out there who won’t be logging on again anytime soon.”
Addressing the fact that Ostrowski’s stalking crime involved taking over the social network accounts of numerous victims by, in part, exploiting personal information that had been posted on those sites, Miles also observed, “People of all ages need to be careful and think twice about personal information they share on the Internet and to whom.”
Robert D. Foley III, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Detroit, added, “Those individuals who seek and obtain pornographic images of minors and conduct intrusions through the Internet will face severe consequences for their crimes. The FBI is committed to working with the MSUPD and to holding these deplorable criminals accountable.”
The case was investigated by the Lansing and Wilkes-Barre offices of the FBI and by the MSUPD. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hagen W. Frank, who serves as the principal of the Identity Theft and Cybercrime Task Force of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Red Lake Man Indicted for Distributing, Possessing Child Pornography

MINNEAPOLIS—A federal indictment recently unsealed charges a 52-year-old Red Lake man with distributing and possessing images and videos containing child pornography. The indictment, which was filed on May 7, 2013, charges James Patrick Needham with one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. The indictment was unsealed prior to Needham’s initial appearance in federal court earlier today in Duluth.
The indictment alleges that on July 21, 2011, Needham possessed images and videos containing visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. It also alleges that on August 4, 2010, Needham distributed several images of similar material. More than 1,300 images and 100 videos were found on a computer that was seized during the execution of a search warrant at Needham’s residence on July 21, 2011.
If convicted, Needham faces a potential maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for distribution of child pornography, with a mandatory minimum penalty of five years, and 10 years in prison for possession of child pornography. Any sentences would be determined by a federal district court judge.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Minnesota Child Exploitation Task Force, sponsored by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with cooperation from the Red Lake Tribal Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laura M. Provinzino.
Distribution and possession of child pornography is against the law. In addition to prosecuting these cases, the Justice Department is presently funding a study focused on the correlation between involvement in child pornography and hands-on sexual abuse of children. A 2008 study (The Butner Study) published in the Journal of Family Violence found that up to 80 percent of federal inmates incarcerated for possession, receipt, or distribution of child pornography also admitted to hands-on sexual abuse of children, ranging from touching to rape.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), 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 U.S. Attorney offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identify and rescue victims. For more information about PSC, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/resources.html and click on the tab “Resources.”
An indictment is a determination by a grand jury that there is probable cause to believe that offenses have been committed by a defendant. A defendant, of course, is presumed innocent until he or she pleads guilty or is proven guilty at trial.

Kidnapping Suspect Appears in Federal Court

JACKSON, MS—Jesse Mae Pollard, 54, of Northport, Alabama, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Keith Ball today pursuant to a criminal complaint charging her with kidnapping, announced U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis and FBI Special Agent in Charge Daniel McMullen.
The court found that Pollard should be detained pending action of the federal grand jury, specifically finding that probable cause exists to show that Pollard committed the crime charged in the complaint.
According to the complaint, a black female entered East Kemper Elementary School in Scooba, Mississippi and took 6-year-old Jashayla Hopson out of school. Later that evening, video surveillance cameras at a hotel in Bessemer, Alabama indicate that Jesse Mae Pollard was at the hotel with Jashayla Hopson. Jashayla was held in the hotel room overnight and dropped off the next day on the side of the road in Enterprise, Mississippi.
The penalty for kidnapping is a minimum of 20 years and a maximum of life in prison.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, along with the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, Mississippi Highway Patrol, Kemper County Sheriff’s Office, and Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation in this case.
The public is reminded that a criminal complaint is an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Kidnapping Suspect Appears in Federal Court

JACKSON, MS—Shamaruis Ruffin, 25, and Wanda Faye Dancy, 51, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Keith Ball today pursuant to a criminal complaint charging her with kidnapping, announced U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis and FBI Special Agent in Charge Daniel McMullen.
The court found that Ruffin and Dancy should be detained pending a preliminary hearing and a detention hearing scheduled for May 9, 2013, at 9:00 a.m.
According to the complaint, on May 2, 2013, Ruffin was asked by Jesse Mae Brown Pollard if she would ride with her and babysit for her. Ruffin agreed to do so.
Pollard drove to the East Kemper Elementary School. Ruffin overheard Pollard talking to Wanda Dancy on the telephone (Dancy is a secretary at East Kemper Elementary School). Ruffin heard Dancy telling Pollard where the victim was located in the school and what she was wearing. Ruffin was told to go to the library in the school and tell Mrs. Simmons that she was there to get the victim and that “Mrs. Wanda said it was all right.” Ruffin did as she was directed. On the way out of the school, Ruffin passed by the office, and Dancy waved at her and smiled. Ruffin and the victim got into the vehicle with Pollard and drove away.
Ruffin, Pollard, and the victim drove down several roads in Alabama. At some point, Ruffin wanted to get out of the car, so they stopped, and Ruffin got out of the vehicle. Ruffin contacted an acquaintance to pick her up. The acquaintance picked Ruffin up somewhere near Interstate 20/59 East of Livingston, Alabama, and Ruffin returned home.
The penalty for kidnapping is a minimum of 20 years and a maximum of life in prison. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, along with Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, Mississippi Highway Patrol, Kemper County Sheriff’s Office, and Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation in this case.
The public is reminded that a criminal complaint is an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Canadian Man Sentenced for Transporting Kansas Girl for Sex

WICHITA, KS—A Canadian man has been sentenced to eight years in federal prison for picking up a 12-year-old girl in El Dorado, Kansas, and taking her out of state for the purpose of having sex with her, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said today.
Stewart Kenneth Cody McGill, 21, Bewdley, Ontario, pleaded guilty to one count of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. In his plea, he admitted he drove from Canada to El Dorado, Kansas, to pick up a 12-year-old girl and have sex with her. Officers later found McGill and the girl parked on a country road in Michigan. They found text messages on the girl’s cell phone in which McGill indicated he intended to have sex with her and he was aware of her age.
Grissom commended the FBI, the El Dorado Police Department, the Michigan Department of State Police, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart for their work on the case.

Neosho Man Sentenced to 14 Years for Distribution of Child Pornography

SPRINGFIELD, MO—Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a Neosho, Missouri man with nearly 1,000 videos and images of child pornography on his computer has been sentenced in federal court for receiving and distributing child pornography over the Internet.
Dustin William Merriman, 26, of Neosho, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner on Thursday, May 9, 2013, to 14 years in federal prison without parole.
Merriman, who pleaded guilty on December 19, 2012, was identified in two separate and unrelated investigations into the distribution of child pornography over the Internet conducted by the FBI in El Paso, Texas, and the New Zealand National Police.
Law enforcement officers confronted Merriman at his place of employment. He admitted that he had hundreds of videos and images of child pornography on his laptop, which was kept in a locker at work. A Joplin Police detective searched the laptop and located more than 1,000 video files; he viewed over 50 of these video files, which all depicted child pornography. The average age of the children depicted in the videos was between five and seven years old.
Merriman was arrested and officers seized his cell phone, which also contained child pornography.
Investigators conducted a full forensics examination of Merriman’s laptop computer and discovered 386 movies of child pornography and 560 images of child pornography.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Randall D. Eggert. It was investigated by the FBI; the Joplin, Missouri Police Department; and the New Zealand National Police.
Project Safe Childhood
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 individuals who sexually exploit children and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “Resources.”

Wichita Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Distributing Child Pornography

WICHITA, KS—A Wichita man was sentenced to more than 10 years in federal prison for distributing child pornography, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said today.
Deric D. Davin, 34, Wichita, Kansas, was sentenced to 121 months in federal prison. He pleaded guilty to one count of distributing child pornography. In his plea, he admitted he used a peer-to-peer file sharing network on the Internet to receive and distribute child pornography. In February 2012, an FBI agent in Tulsa, Oklahoma, downloaded child pornography from Davin’s computer in Wichita.
Grissom commended the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart for their work on case.

Omaha Man Sentenced to Six Years on Child Pornography Charges

United States Attorney Deborah R. Gilg announced that Michael L. Abraham, age 47 of Omaha, was sentenced in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for receiving and distributing child pornography. The Honorable John M. Gerrard sentenced Abraham to the custody of the United States Bureau of Prisons for six years. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Abraham will begin a seven-year term of supervised release and will be required to register as a sex offender.
The sentencing stemmed from an undercover investigation by officers of the Nebraska State Patrol and the FBI Cyber Crimes Task Force. Officers discovered child pornography being shared online from an IP address assigned to Abraham’s home. On September 21, 2012, a search warrant was obtained for Abraham’s computer. A forensic review of the computer media revealed more than 100 videos and in excess of 50,000 images of child pornography and child erotica.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys? Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
This matter was investigated by the Omaha FBI’s Cyber Crime Task Force (CCTF), of which the Nebraska State Patrol is a partner. The Omaha CCTF is a multi-jurisdictional task force consisting of 11 federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies from Nebraska and Iowa. The mission of the Omaha CCTF is to investigate and apprehend high technology criminals and to protect our communities by preventing high technology crime and national security threats involving computers and computer networks. The Omaha CCTF was established on the premise that the capabilities of law enforcement agencies to investigate computer and high technology related crimes are enhanced in a task force setting involving the sharing of resources and expertise.

Missing Child Found

FBI Jackson Special Agent in Charge Daniel McMullen advised that at approximately 4:45 p.m. on April 30, 2013, the FBI was advised that 6-year-old Jashayla Markayia Hopson, of Scooba, Mississippi, had been reported missing. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation (MBI), the Kemper County Sheriff’s Office, the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office, and the FBI immediately initiated an investigation into her disappearance, including the issuance of an Amber Alert on May 1, 2013. The search ended at approximately 1:25 p.m., on May 1, 2013, when Jashayla was located in Enterprise, Mississippi. She was taken to Rush Foundation Hospital in Meridian, Mississippi for observation.
Special Agent in Charge McMullen stated: “The investigation into Jashayla’s disappearance is ongoing; however, I would like to recognize the around-the-clock effort by the numerous law enforcement personnel who worked tirelessly to find Jashayla and reunite her with her parents.”

Albuquerque Man Arrested on Federal Child Pornography Charges

ALBUQUERQUE—Maximiliano Cordova, 19, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, was arrested by the FBI on May 6, 2013, on a criminal complaint alleging that Cordova distributed, received, and possessed visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Cordova made his initial appearance in federal court yesterday and waived his right to a detention hearing. He will remain in federal custody pending trial, which has not yet been scheduled.
According to the criminal complaint, the investigation leading to Cordova’s arrest was initiated in mid-January 2013, after an FBI agent who was working in an undercover capacity in New Jersey signed into a publicly available peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing network that was being used by individuals who were sharing child pornography images. The agent learned that one of the individuals sharing child pornography images on the P2P network was using an IP address that was subscribed to Cordova’s residential address. On May 3, 2013, the FBI executed a search warrant at Cordova’s residence.
While executing the search warrant, FBI agents observed a laptop computer on Cordova’s bed that was running and displaying information for the P2P network that was used for sharing child pornography. The FBI seized the laptop computer, other computers, and other computer-related media from Cordova’s residence. A preliminary examination of the laptop computer confirmed that it contained child pornography images.
If convicted of the offenses alleged in the criminal complaint, Cordova faces a sentence of not less than five years or more than 40 years in prison. He would also be required to register as a sex offender. Charges in criminal complaints are merely accusations. All criminal defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case was investigated by FBI and the New Mexico Regional Forensic Lab and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charlyn E. Rees. It was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.
The Operation also was brought as a part of the New Mexico Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force’s mission, which is to locate, track, and capture Internet child sexual predators and Internet child pornographers in New Mexico. There are 64 federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies associated with the ICAC Task Force, which is funded by a grant administered by the New Mexico Attorney General’s Office. Anyone with information relating to suspected child predators and suspected child abuse is encouraged to contact federal or local law enforcement.

Sanostee Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Aggravated Child Sexual Abuse Charge

ALBUQUERQUE—Lorenzo Begay, 49, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation who resides in Sanostee, New Mexico, pleaded guilty this afternoon to an aggravated sexual abuse charge. Under the terms of the plea agreement, Begay will be sentenced to five years in federal prison, followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the court. Begay also will be required to register as a sex offender.
Begay was arrested in January 2012 on a criminal complaint alleging that he sexually abused a child under the age of 12 from July 2010 through June 2011, within the boundaries of the Navajo Nation Reservation. Begay subsequently was indicted on that same charge. According to court filings, the investigation into Begay was initiated after law enforcement authorities received a referral from the Navajo Nation Division of Social Services after the child victim disclosed the sexual abuse to a school social worker.
During today’s hearing, Begay entered a guilty plea to a felony information charging him with aggravated sexual abuse and admitted sexually abusing the child victim. Begay was remanded into the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service after entering his guilty plea. He will remain detained pending his sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque and Farmington Offices of the FBI and the Shiprock Office of the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob A. Wishard as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.

Union County Man Arrested, Charged with Distributing Images of Child Sexual Abuse

NEWARK, NJ—Law enforcement officers arrested a Union County, New Jersey man today after discovering alleged child pornography on his home computer during a search following an undercover investigation, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Andrew Johnson, 29, of Cranford, New Jersey, is charged by complaint with one count of distributing images of child sexual abuse over the Internet. Johnson appeared on the complaint this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Steven C. Mannion in Newark federal court and was released on a $100,000 bond.
According to the criminal complaint filed today:
On July 3, 2012, December 7, 2012, and April 4, 2013, Johnson distributed videos and images depicting child sexual abuse on the Internet via peer-to-peer file sharing software, which allowed others access to the material in shared directories. An undercover agent discovered and downloaded the images and videos, and the username and IP address of the sharer was traced back to Johnson’s residence.
Johnson was arrested after FBI special agents executed a search warrant today at his Cranford home.
The possession count carries a minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI, Newark Division’s Child Exploitation Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Aaron T. Ford, and the Cranford Police Department with the investigation leading to today’s arrest.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle Alfonzo Walsman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office General Crimes Unit in Newark.
The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Passaic County Man Charged with Possession of Child Pornography

NEWARK, N.J.—A Passaic County, N.J., man was arrested today after law enforcement officers discovered alleged child pornography at his residence, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Anthony Chiampi, 48, of Totowa, New Jersey, is charged by criminal complaint with one count of possessing images of child sex abuse. Chiampi is scheduled to appear today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Steven C. Mannion in Newark federal court.
According to the criminal complaint:
Chiampi is a Megan’s Law registrant, having been previously convicted in New Jersey Superior Court, Passaic County, for endangering the welfare of a child. He is subject to community supervision for life. On March 14, 2013, as part of that supervision, New Jersey Division of Parole (New Jersey Parole) officers conducted a home visit and discovered 63 discs that contained alleged images and videos depicting child sexual abuse, including material that involved prepubescent minors.
Because of his prior conviction, Chiampi faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of 20 years, and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited the New Jersey State Parole Board and special agents of the FBI Newark Division’s Child Exploitation Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Aaron T. Ford in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s arrest.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle M. Corcione of the U.S. Attorney’s Office General Crimes Unit in Newark.

Chili Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography Charges

ROCHESTER, NY—U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Michael V. Covello, 42, of Chili, New York, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge David G. Larimer to distribution of child pornography and possession of child pornography. Because of a prior sexual abuse conviction, distribution of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum of 40 years. Possession of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum of 20 years. The charges also include a fine up to $250,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Marisa J. Miller, who is handling the case, stated that in May and June 2012, law enforcement officers discovered that the defendant was distributing images and videos of child pornography online. A search warrant was executed at the defendant’s residence where officers recovered digital media, including a laptop, desktop computer, and an iTouch, all of which contained child pornography. The images included prepubescent minors as depictions of violence.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
The plea is the culmination of an investigation on the part of special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Richard M. Frankel.
Sentencing is scheduled for September 17 at 10:30 a.m. before Judge Larimer.

Queens-Based Operator of 18 Chinese-Language Child Pornography Websites Pleads Guilty in Manhattan Federal Court

Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that Yong Wang, who operated 18 Chinese-language websites containing child pornography, pled guilty to advertising in connection with the sexual exploitation of children. Wang pled guilty Friday in Manhattan federal court before U.S. District Judge Paul G. Gardephe.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said: “Yong Wang made hundreds of thousands of dollars from a vast network of websites that he operated from the comfort and safety of his home while capitalizing on the sexual exploitation of children. But in fact, he was not safe after all because the FBI infiltrated his network and caught up with him. This office, along with our investigative partners, remains steadfast in our commitment to prosecute and punish those like Wang, who earn a living online at the expense of children’s well-being and innocence.”
According to the indictment, other documents filed in Manhattan federal court and statements made during Wang’s guilty plea proceeding:
Wang maintained 18 Chinese-language websites out of his apartment in Flushing, New York. Members could access numerous links to an extensive child pornography collection that included images and videos of children exposing their genitals, engaging in sexually explicit conduct with adults, and in sadistic and/or masochistic depictions. To access the websites, individuals had to purchase a “VIP membership” or accumulate a certain number of points. Wang charged customers $25 for a quarterly membership or $100 for a lifetime membership. Undercover FBI agents registered for a VIP membership with Wang and gained access to one of the websites which was titled—in Chinese—“Empire of the Young and Innocent Fragrances.” On the website, users were directed to different forums with links that were titled with descriptive names, such as “Young Young Empire,” “Young Girl Beauty Photos Military Region,” “Young Boy Movie Zone,” and “Exclusive Quality Young Girl Photos Set.” Wang made in excess of $700,000 in connection with his operation of these websites, which he forfeited as part of his plea agreement.

* * *

Wang, 28, of Flushing, New York, faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Gardephe on August 23, 2013 at 2:30 p.m.
Mr. Bharara praised the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He also thanked the Chinese Ministry of Public Security for their cooperation and assistance.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rosemary Nidiry and Zachary Feingold are in charge of the prosecution.

Sexual Predator Sentenced to Life Imprisonment

PHOENIX—On April 22, 2013, Jefferson Gatewood, 44, of Carrizo, Arizona, and a member of the White Mountain Apache Tribe, was sentenced by U.S. District Judges James A. Teilborg to 14 consecutive terms of life imprisonment. Gatewood was convicted at trial by jury on November 20, 2012, of 23 counts of aggravated sexual abuse and related charges, mostly involving minors, on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation.
Gatewood was previously convicted of assault with intent to commit rape in an Arizona U.S. District Court in 1987, after he and two co-defendants gang-raped a 19-year-old girl at knifepoint.
At trial, 15 victims testified that Gatewood had sexually abused them and physically abused some of them as well. At the time they were abused, the victims ranged in age from 5 years old to their early 20s. Gatewood’s abuses began nearly 30 years ago, when he was still a teenager, and continued on a regular basis until 2010 when this investigation was initiated.
The indictment charged Gatewood with sexually abusing nine young girls and teens dating back to 1992. Other sexual assaults were either barred by the statute of limitations or took place off of the reservation and out of the jurisdiction of the federal court. Nonetheless, the victims of the uncharged assaults were allowed to testify at trial regarding their victimization pursuant to the Federal Rules of Evidence.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The prosecution was handled by Dimitra H. Sampson and Sharon K. Sexton, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

Phoenix Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Jail for Sex Trafficking

PHOENIX—On May 9, 2013, George Calvin Windley, 33, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge David G. Campbell to 15 years’ imprisonment. Windley pleaded guilty on July 11, 2012, to conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§1594(c) and 1591(a).
“The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to prosecuting those who prey upon the most vulnerable in our society for personal profit,” said U.S. Attorney John S. Leonardo. “Our thanks to the collaborative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Phoenix Police Department, and the Scottsdale Police Department that made this successful prosecution possible.”
“The sentencing of George Windley signifies the end of a sex trafficking group that preyed on young women in order to place them into sexual servitude for financial gain,” stated FBI Special Agent in Charge Douglas G. Price, Phoenix Field Office. “The actions by Windley and others were humiliating and violent towards the trafficked females. The FBI and our law enforcement partners are committed to holding those accountable who choose to participate in the practice of modern day slavery for the purpose of prostitution.”
Evidence uncovered during the government’s investigation showed that Windley ran a commercial sex prostitution business from 2001 through at least 2009. He “befriended” multiple young women and lured them into the business by offering drugs, cash, clothing, jewelry, material goods, and the promise of an extravagant lifestyle. Windley targeted those who were the most vulnerable, including victims who had been previously abused as children, came from broken families, or were “running away” from home. Some of the victims simply did not have enough money to provide for their children.
Once recruited, Windley used physical force, violence, coercive acts, and threatened the use of violence against family members to prevent the women from leaving the business. The victims described how defendant repeatedly struck, punched, kicked, pushed, raped, and used other physical acts and intimidation to scare and bully them. Windley also engaged in various forms of psychological manipulation and emotional coercion against the victims by using their sense of shame or feelings of guilt and existing family issues to control the victims. One victim was confined to a hotel room for a period of several months, during which time he physically and sexually abused her and forced her to work as a prostitute.
All revenues generated by the business were to be given to Windley. The women were forbidden from socializing with other women, and they were never permitted to leave the business or have contact with other black males.
Windley used the Internet to advertise the sexual services of the young women and also used stolen credit card numbers to manufacture forged credit cards that were then used to supplement the operating expenses of the business.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Phoenix Police Department, and the Scottsdale Police Department. The prosecution is was conducted by Josh Parecki, former Assistant U.S. Attorney, and Walter Perkel, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

Former Tri City Bomber Gets 20 Years in Federal Prison

HOUSTON—Jeffrey Juarez, the one-time leader of the notorious Tri City Bomber (TCB) street gang, has been sent to federal prison for his conviction of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and ecstasy, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today along with and Armando Fernandez, special agent in charge of the FBI’s San Antonio Division. Juarez entered a plea of guilty on September 6, 2012.
Today, U.S. District Judge Gray Miller, who accepted the guilty plea, handed Juarez a 240-month term of federal imprisonment, which will be followed by five years of supervised release.
“The punishment imposed today reflects our efforts to disrupt and dismantle an entire criminal enterprise up to and including its leadership,” said Magidson. “We will not waiver in our determination to diminish gang crime and hold those accountable for their illegal actions.
Juarez, aka “Dragon” and “Tira,” 35, of Sugar Land, along with 12 fellow gang members were indicted February 2011 following a four-year long investigation. Following today’s hearing, all have now been convicted and sentenced.
Juarez led the TCB gang, which made money by trafficking in cocaine and other drugs and by providing protection services for drug loads.
“Today’s sentencing is a clear message to all organized crime leaders that the safety of our communities will always be more important than your criminal enterprise,” said Fernandez, “and that our team work will always prevail.”
In October 2008, Juarez agreed the gang would provide protection for loads of cocaine traveling through South Texas for money. Unknown to Juarez, however, the loads were controlled by the FBI. Thereafter, Juarez, aided by other members or associates of the TCB gang provided protection for eight loads of cocaine loaded into a vehicle by the FBI. Juarez was paid for his services after each load and each transport was monitored by video and audio recording.
During this same time frame, Juarez sold approximately 388 Ecstasy pills to an FBI confidential source on numerous occasions.
The TCB gang was formed in the early 1980s in the Pharr, San Juan, and Alamo areas of South Texas. An organized group with mandatory specific rules and regulations knows as Las Reglas to endure loyalty and participation of gang members in criminal activity, the TCB also has a decision making hierarchy including a person in charge in each city and persons holding positions within the organization including president, generals, captains, lieutenants, sergeants, soldiers, and prospects. “Prospects” are those in the process of becoming TCB members. Non-members who do business with or perform work for the TCB are referred to as “associates.”
TCB membership is for life, and many of the members have tattoos such as “TCB,” a necklace tattoo made of small bombs, a 1939 Chevy Bomb car, three high-rise buildings, or “39,” which present their membership and allegiance to the TCB. Members pay monthly fees to support incarcerated members and to further the illegal activity of the gang.
Juarez has been in custody since his arrest, where he will remain pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
This investigation was led by agents and officers from the FBI, assisted by the United States Border Patrol, Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Department, Texas Department of Public Safety, McAllen Police Department, and Mission Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Tim S. Braley and Mark Donnelly prosecuted the case.

Federal Prison Terms Handed Down in Connection with Austin-Based Heroin Distribution Operation

Thirteen defendants have received lengthy federal prison terms for their roles in an Austin-based heroin distribution operation, announced United States Attorney Robert Pitman, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Armando Fernandez, Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo, and Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steven C. McCraw.
On Friday, United States District Judge Sam Sparks handed down the following prison sentences:

• 69-year-old Jose Pardo, of Austin, and 67-year-old Michael Martinez, of Austin—360 months
• 45-year-old Jorge Carrillo, of Lockhart, Texas—188 months
• 63-year-old Dionicio Sanchez, of Austin—135 months
• 43-year-old David Sosa, of Austin—130 months
• 46-year-old Amanda Pardo, of Austin, and 65-year-old Terry Ayers, of Austin—120 months
• 63-year-old Alfredo Alvarez, of Austin—110 months
• 32-year-old Chris Mier, of Austin—51 months
• 26-year-old Tatiana Huang, of Austin—48 months
• 46-year-old Kilpatrick Williams, of Austin—41 months
• 25-year-old Leah Day, of Austin, and 36-year-old Jeffrey Finn, of Shenandoah, Texas—12 months

In addition to the prison terms, Judge Sparks ordered that the following defendants pay fines: Amanda Pardo, $15,000; Jorge Carrillo, Tatiana Huang, and Chris Meir, $6,000 each; and Kilpatrick Williams, Leach Day, and Jeffrey Finn, $3,600. Judge Sparks also ordered that all the defendants be placed under supervised release for a period of five years after completing their respective prison terms.
Lucy Estrada, age 33, is scheduled to be sentenced on Friday. The alleged ringleader, Amado Pardo, passed away prior to trial.
Evidence presented in court revealed the defendants conspired from May 2011 until their arrests in June 2012 to distribute more than 17 kilograms of heroin. Testimony also revealed that at least on one occasion, heroin was processed after business hours at the Pardo family-owned restaurant, Jovita’s, and that numerous drug transactions occurred right behind Jovita’s in co-defendant Amado Pardo’s house.
“The sentencing of these traffickers is especially rewarding when you consider the longevity of the leaders participation in drug trafficking in the Austin area. These sentences ensure that the leadership of this trafficking group has been effectively dismantled,” stated FBI SAC Fernandez.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Austin Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Department of Criminal Justice Office of the Inspector General, Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Travis County Sheriff’s Office. This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dan Guess and Elizabeth Cottingham.

Couple Indicted for Sex Trafficking of a Minor and Production of Child Pornography

HOUSTON—Arieal J. Bishop, 28, and David J. Golson, 26, have been ordered detained pending trial on charges of sex trafficking and producing child pornography, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today.
Bishop and Golson appeared in court in Houston today following their transportation from Arkansas where they were being held on similar federal charges. Their official cities of residence could not be immediately determined, but testimony in court today revealed one or both of them had been in Florida, Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, and New Mexico.
The indictment, returned April 17, 2013, charges both with one count of producing child pornography and one count of trafficking of a minor for commercial sex using force, fraud, or coercion. Bishop is further charged with one count of transporting a minor for the purpose of engaging in prostitution or other criminal sexual activity. The alleged crimes occurred between April and September 2011, according to the indictment.
Testimony at the detention hearing today indicated that Bishop filmed Golson engaging in sex with a 17-year-old girl within a short time after meeting them. Bishop allegedly posted advertisements for commercial sex for both herself and the victim in Houston as well as other cities in Texas and in Louisiana. The victim allegedly traveled with Bishop to Louisiana where they met up with Golson and continued to post ads and engage in commercial sex, according to the information presented in court. The victim gave money she earned from commercial sex to Bishop who gave it to Golson.
During this investigation, Bishop and Golson, along with Bishop’s sister, were arrested in Arkansas and charged with similar sex trafficking offenses involving a different minor victim.
Today, U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephen W. Smith indicated that Bishop and Golson were a flight risk and detained them pending further criminal proceedings. The court considered that neither has any legitimate source of income, residence, or significant ties to Houston that would assure their appearance at trial.
For the child pornography charges, they each face a minimum of 15 and up to 30 years in federal prison and up to life for sex trafficking, upon conviction. Both charges also carry as possible punishment a maximum $250,000 fine. For the transportation charge, Bishop further faces a minimum of 10 years up to life imprisonment. Upon completion of any prison term imposed, they also face a possible lifetime term of supervised release and will be required to register as sex offenders.
This case was investigated by the Houston FBI Innocence Lost Task Force and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sherri L. Zack.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.

Former Middle School Employee Sentenced in Texas to 30 Years in Prison for Producing and Distributing Child Pornography

WASHINGTON—A Texas man was sentenced today to serve 30 years in prison for producing and distributing material relating to the sexual exploitation of children, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas Robert Pitman.
Robert Ramos, Jr., 33, of Austin, Texas, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Lee Yeakel in the Western District of Texas. In addition to his prison term, Judge Yeakel sentenced Ramos to serve 10 years of supervised release.
Ramos pleaded guilty on October 31, 2012, to one count of production of child pornography and one count of distribution of child pornography.
According to court documents and proceedings, Ramos, who was previously an assistant band director at Dessau Middle School in Pflugerville, Texas, admitted that he obtained sexually explicit images of a 13-year-old girl through communicating with her on Facebook using Facebook accounts that falsely portrayed him as a teenaged girl. Ramos admitted to distributing those images to Timothy Bek, a teacher in New York who was also contacting minor boys and girls for the purpose of obtaining sexually explicit images.
Ramos admitted at his plea hearing that he viewed via Internet webcam and saved to his computer a video of a 5-year-old girl being sexually abused by Jennifer Mahoney, of New Jersey.
Both Bek and Mahoney have been prosecuted in their respective jurisdictions for their criminal activities relating to child pornography. Bek was sentenced in the Western District of New York on May 23, 2012, to serve 30 years in prison for production and possession of child pornography. Mahoney was sentenced in the District of New Jersey on December 18, 2012, to serve 30 years in prison in for production of child pornography.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the FBI and CEOS. CEOS Trial Attorney Keith Becker and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Devlin of the Western District of Texas are prosecuting this case.

Newport News Man Sentenced for Receipt of Child Pornography

NEWPORT NEWS, VA—Glenn Rodger McGuire, 41, of Newport News, Virginia, was sentenced today to 188 months in prison and a lifetime of supervised release for receipt of child pornography.
Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, made the announcement after sentencing by United States District Judge Henry C. Morgan, Jr.
McGuire pled guilty on February 6, 2013. According to court documents, McGuire was a Cox Communications employee who set up his neighbors’ wireless router for a fee. During an FBI investigation, the neighbors’ wireless router was identified as possibly being linked to a computer that was accessing and downloading child pornography. Agents contacted the neighbors believing their computer was being used, but no child pornography was found. The agents then went to the home of McGuire and, after obtaining McGuire’s consent, seized his computers. Following execution of a search warrant, a forensic exam was conducted which revealed over 6,000 images of child pornography.
This case was investigated by FBI. Assistant United States Attorney Lisa R. McKeel prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
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 individuals who sexually exploit children and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “Resources.”
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae.

Colonial Heights Man Pleads Guilty to Receipt of Child Pornography and Enticement of a Child

RICHMOND, VA—Robert Kropp, 26, of Colonial Heights, Virginia, pleaded guilty today to one count of using a means or facility of interstate commerce to coerce or entice a minor to engage in sexual activity and one count of receipt of child pornography.
Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Jeffrey C. Mazanec, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after the plea was accepted by United States District Judge Henry E. Hudson.
Kropp was faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years, up to life imprisonment, when he is sentenced on August 2, 2013.
In a statement of facts filed with his plea agreement, Kropp admitted that in March 2013, he began communicating with a woman who had advertised herself on the Internet as a 19-year-old prostitute. Kropp asked the woman if she knew of anyone younger with whom he could engage in sexual activity. The woman’s account was later taken over by law enforcement, who continued to communicate with Kropp while posing as the female. During these conversations, Kropp indicated a desire to meet with an individual that he believed to be the prostitute’s 13-year-old cousin to engage in sexual activity. Kropp then began communicating via text message with the purported 13-year-old, including sending sexually suggestive messages and images to the minor. On March 7, 2013, Kropp arrived at a hotel in Richmond where he believed he would be meeting the 13-year-old to engage in sexual activity. Kropp was subsequently arrested and, in an interview with law enforcement, admitted to downloading and viewing child pornography as well.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Henrico County Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Jamie Mickelson is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae.

Man Sentenced for Possessing Child Pornography While in Halfway House in Janesville

MADISON, WI—John W. Vaudreuil, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Jeremy Huart, 26, Westchester, Illinois, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 121 months in federal prison, to be followed by 25 years’ supervised release, for a second federal conviction of possession of child pornography. Huart pleaded guilty to this crime on February 13, 2013, and has remained in custody since his guilty plea.
Huart was convicted of possessing child pornography on September 25, 2008, in the Northern District of Illinois. Huart was sentenced to 65 months in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, as a result of this conviction. In September 2010, after serving time in federal prison, Huart was placed at a halfway house at Rock Valley Community Program in Janesville, Wisconsin.
On August 19, 2011, staff at Rock Valley discovered Huart had a contraband cell phone that contained approximately 214 images of child pornography. On September 12, 2012, Huart was indicted in the Western District of Wisconsin for possession of child pornography based on the images found while he was at the halfway house in Janesville.
The charges against Huart were the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie S. Pfluger.

Oconomowoc Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Producing Child Pornography

MADISON, WI—John W. Vaudreuil, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Kyle Lutz, 29, Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Lynn S. Adelman to 15 years in federal prison, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release, for producing child pornography. Lutz pleaded guilty to this crime on February 13, 2013, and has remained in custody since his guilty plea.
On November 26, 2012, Lutz was charged in Jefferson County, Wisconsin, in a related case with six counts of second-degree sexual assault of a child, two counts of child enticement, and one count of exposing a child to harmful material. Evidence discovered in the Jefferson County case, as well as evidence retrieved by a forensic examination of Lutz’s computer, revealed that Lutz had produced child pornography using an iPod Touch on October 21, 2012, and November 4, 2012.
Additionally, the evidence revealed that Lutz distributed and possessed child pornography from September to November 2012. Lutz admitted in a statement he made to the FBI that he had been collecting child pornography for approximately seven years.
The charges against Lutz were the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau Investigation and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie S. Pfluger.

Milwaukee Man Indicted on Sex Trafficking and Forced Labor Charges

WASHINGTON—The Department of Justice today announced that a federal grand jury sitting in Milwaukee has indicted Najee C. Moore, 22, on charges of conspiracy, sex trafficking, and attempted forced labor of both minor and adult victims.
The indictment alleges that Moore engaged in the sex trafficking of two different minor victims in 2010 and 2012, respectively, and used force, fraud, and coercion to compel both adult and minor victims to engage in commercial sex acts. The indictment further charges the defendant with conspiring and attempting to compel a victim into forced labor.
The matter is being investigated by the FBI, U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, Milwaukee Police Department, and the Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karine Moreno-Taxman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin and Trial Attorney Daniel H. Weiss of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit.
An indictment is merely an accusation, and the subject is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

Buffalo Man Indicted on Production, Receipt, and Possession of Child Pornography Charges

BUFFALO, NY—U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that a federal grand jury in Buffalo has returned a four-count indictment charging Paul F. Archambault, 26, of Buffalo, New York, with production, receipt, and possession of child pornography. Because the defendant has a prior conviction for possession of child pornography, the production of child pornography charge carries a mandatory minimum term of 25 years in prison, a maximum of 50 years, and a fine of $250,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment, on or about August 17, 2012, the defendant enticed a minor victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of the conduct. In addition, Archambault is accused of possessing child pornography on a 16GB SanDisk Micro SD HC card. The defendant has been in custody on a pending case from the Northern District of New York.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
The indictment is the culmination of an investigation on the part of special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Richard M. Frankel, and deputy United States marshals, under the direction of Charles Salina, United States marshal.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

Saranac Lake Man Pleads to Receipt of Child Pornography

ROCHESTER, NY—U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Michael Bombard, 24, of Saranac Lake, New York, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa to receipt of child pornography. The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum penalty of 20 years, and a fine of $250,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany H. Lee, who is handling the case, stated that between August and September 2011, Bombard engaged in sexually explicit chats with a 14-year old-female he met online. The defendant requested that the girl send him sexually explicit images of herself. At the time he received the images, Bombard knew that the images constituted child pornography.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
The plea is the culmination of an investigation on the part of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Cyber Task Force, under the direction of Richard M. Frankel, Acting Special Agent in Charge.
Sentencing is scheduled for August 19, 2013, at 3:00 p.m. before Judge Siragusa.

Olean Nurse Charged with Distribution and Possession of Child Pornography

BUFFALO, NY—U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Willie G. Reid, 46, of Olean, New York, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with distribution and possession of child pornography. The charges carry a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a fine of $250,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward H. White, who is handling the case, stated that the defendant is a registered nurse at Olean General Hospital. As a nurse, Reid’s duties included working in the Pediatric Unit. According to the complaint, between February 9, 2012 and February 8, 2013, the defendant downloaded videos and images of child pornography using a peer-to-peer file sharing program. Some of the videos and images included pre-pubescent children and depictions of violence.
The defendant made an initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder, Jr. Reid is being detained pending a detention hearing on May 8, 2013, at 2:00 p.m.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state ,and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
The arrest is the culmination of an investigation on the part of special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Richard M. Frankel, Acting Special Agent in Charge, and the Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Department, under the direction of Sheriff Timothy Whitcomb.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.