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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
May 23, 2008
FOUR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CASES POINT TO BIGGER PROBLEM, U.S. ATTORNEY MELGREN SAYS
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal grand jury Thursday returned indictments against four Kansas men accused of possessing child pornography.
The four cases were not related except that the U.S. Department of Justice is targeting producers and consumers of child pornography for prosecution, said U.S. Attorney Eric Melgren. Project Safe Childhood aims to coordinate federal, state and local resources to protect children from sexual predators.
“Children whose photographs are being distributed over the Internet are the victims of sexual abuse,” said U.S. Attorney Eric Melgren. “Trading in images of the sexual abuse of children is a crime, not a private matter.”
In 2007, federal prosecutors in Kansas filed about three cases a month under Project Safe Childhood (a total of 38 cases for the year). In the first quarter of 2008, they filed 12 cases.
Indictments on charges of child pornography were returned against the following defendants:
Shawn B. Mullen, 44, Leavenworth, Kan., is charged with one count of receiving child pornography via the Internet and one count of possession of child pornography. According to the indictment, Mullen paid $99.95 for a membership allowing him access to child pornography. The crimes are alleged to have occurred Oct. 24, 2006, and July 13, 2007, in Leavenworth, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a penalty of not less than 5 years and not more than 20 years in federal prison, and a fine up to $250,000, on the charge of
receiving child pornography; and a maximum of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the possession charge. The Lawrence Police Department and Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Martin is prosecuting.
Sean Everett, 36, Atchison, Kan, is charged with one count of receiving child pornography via the Internet, and one count of possession of child pornography. According to the indictment, Everett paid $94.95 for a membership allowing him access to child pornography. The crimes are alleged to have occurred Dec. 11, 2006, and Nov. 14, 2007, in Atchison, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a penalty of not less than 5 years and not more than 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the charge of
receiving child pornography; and a maximum of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the possession charge. The Lawrence Police Department and Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Martin is prosecuting.
Channing Burgess, 22, Lawrence, Kan., is charged with one count of receiving child pornography via the Internet, and one count of possession of child pornography. According to the complaint, he paid $79.99 for a membership allowing him access to child pornography. The crimes are alleged to have occurred Deb. 18, 2006, and Aug. 17, 2007, in Lawrence, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a penalty of not less than 5 years and not more than 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the charge of
receiving child pornography; and a maximum of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the possession charge. The Lawrence Police Department and Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Martin is prosecuting.
Brian W. Clark, 29, Gardner, Kan., is charged with one count of advertising that he wanted to obtain child pornography, one count of receiving child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in March and May 2006 in Gardner, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a penalty of not less than 15 years and not more than 30 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the charge of advertising for child pornography, not less than 4 years and not more than 20 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the charge of receiving child pornography, and a maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the possession charge.
The Lawrence Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation worked on the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Martin is prosecuting.
OTHER INDICTMENTS
A federal grand jury meeting Thursday in Kansas City also returned the following indictments:
Sandra Glenn, 43, Ottawa, Kan., is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and five counts of distributing crack cocaine. The crimes are alleged to have occurred at various times from May 24, 2003, through June 25, 2007, in Franklin County, Kan.
If convicted, she faces a penalty of not less than 10 years and not more than life and a fine up to $4 million on the conspiracy charge. Four of the distribution counts carry a maximum penalty of 20 years and a fine up to $2 million. One of the distribution charges carries a penalty of not less than 5 years and not more than 40 years and a fine up to $2 million. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sheri McCracken is prosecuting.
Rauou Luran Roberts, 28, Junction City, Kan., is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and one count of unlawful possession of ammunition after a felony conviction. The crimes are alleged to have occurred May 2, 2008, in Geary County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Coody is prosecuting.
Ronald K. Brooks, Jr., 26, who is in custody in the Shawnee County Jail, is charged with one count of assaulting a mail carrier for the U.S. Post Office, one count of unlawful possession of a firearm after a felony conviction, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a user of controlled substances. The crimes are alleged to have occurred May 8, 2008, in Shawnee County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 8 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the assault charge, and a maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on each of the two other counts. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Coody is prosecuting.
Rodney R. Rogers, 42, is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm after a felony conviction. The crime is alleged to have occurred March 16, 2007, in Wyandotte County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Terra Morehead is prosecuting.
Shawn T. Patrick, 46, is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm after a felony conviction, and one count of giving a firearm to a juvenile. The crimes are alleged to have occurred between Jan. 1, 2006, and May 16, 2007, in Anderson County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explo sives and the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Terra Morehead is prosecuting.
Audarius Jones, 27, is charged with two counts of distributing crack cocaine, one count of maintaining a residence at 1503 N. 27th in Kansas City, Kan., in furtherance of drug trafficking, one count of possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, one count of unlawful possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, one count of unlawful possession of a firearm after a felony conviction, and one count of unlawful possession of a rifle with a sawed off barrel.
Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:
– Distributing crack cocaine: A maximum of 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $1 million on each count.
– Maintaining a residence in furtherance of drug trafficking: A maximum penalty of 20 years and a fine up to $500,000.
– Possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine: Not less than 10 years and not more than life and a fine up to $4 million.
– Possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking: Not less than 5 years and not more than life and a fine up to $250,000.
– Unlawful possession of a firearm after a felony conviction: A maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.
– Possession of a rifle with a sawed off barrel: A maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Trent Krug is prosecuting.
Kyle E. Coats, 25, is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm after a felony conviction and one count of possession of a stolen firearm. The crimes are alleged to have occurred June 16, 2006, in Douglas County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on each count. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Lawrence Police Department investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Terra Morehead is prosecuting.
Anthony L. Kennon, 25, is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm after a felony conviction. The crime is alleged to have occurred Nov. 4, 2007, in Douglas County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on each count. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Lawrence Police Department investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Terra Morehead is prosecuting.
Daniel Ganaden, 25, is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm after a felony conviction. The crime is alleged to have occurred Oct. 14, 2007, in Douglas County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on each count. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Leavenworth Police Department investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Terra Morehead is prosecuting.
Jimmie C. Murray, 35, is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm after a felony conviction. The crime is alleged to have occurred March 14, 2008, in Wyandotte County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on each count. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Terra Morehead is prosecuting.
Vance G. Bradshaw, 31, is charged with one count of bank robbery. According to the indictment, on April 28, 2008, he robbed the Intrust Bank at 105 N. Main in Wichita, Kan.
Bradshaw initially was charged in a criminal complaint filed May 1, 2008.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Federal Bureau of Investigation worked on the case.
Ubaldo Najera-Retana, 46, Wichita, and Juan Soto-Munoz, 31, Wichita, are charged with one count of possession of more than 100 kilograms of marijuana. The crime is alleged to have occurred April 30, 2008, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
The defendants initially were charged in a criminal complaint filed May 1, 2008. An investigator’s affidavit said the men possessed 321 pounds of marijuana.
If convicted, they face a penalty of not less than 5 years and not more than 40 years in federal prison and a fine up to $2 million. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated.
Jose Lara-Reyna, 46, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being convicted of an aggravated felony and deported. He was found Dec. 4, 2007, in Kansas City, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Martin is prosecuting.
As in any criminal case, a person is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments filed merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.
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