Aaron M. Hopgood Press Release (Guilty Plea)

May 5, 2008
For Immediate Release

ROLLA MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO FEDERAL CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CHARGES

St. Louis, MO: Aaron M. Hopgood pled guilty to federal child pornography charges, United States Attorney Catherine L. Hanaway announced today.

In March 2007, a woman made a Cyber Tipline Report to the National Center for Missouri and Exploited Children (NCMEC) in Washington, D.C. In that report she stated that she had logs of inappropriate conversations between a young relative and a man. She also said that she had screen captures of inappropriate pictures sent to the relative in an instant-message communication. Upon receipt of this report, NCMEC forwarded the information to the Missouri Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. A subsequent investigation identified the man as Aaron Hopgood, residing in Rolla, Missouri, and a search warrant was executed at his residence. The search revealed multiple images of child pornography.

AARON M. HOPGOOD, Rolla, Missouri, pled guilty Friday to one felony count of possession of child pornography. He appeared before United States District Judge Donald J. Stohr. Hopgood now faces a penalty range of five to twenty years in prison when he is sentenced on July 25, 2008.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, the Department of Justice launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.

Hanaway commended the work performed on the case by the Rolla Police Department, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Missouri Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Regional Computer Crimes Education and Enforcement Group and Assistant United States Attorney Allison Behrens, who is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE EASTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI CATHERINE L. HANAWAY United States Attorney	NEWS RELEASE
For further information: Call Public Affairs Officer Jan Diltz at (314) 539-7719
May 5, 2008 For Immediate Release ROLLA MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO FEDERAL CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CHARGES St. Louis, MO: Aaron M. Hopgood pled guilty to federal child pornography charges, United States Attorney Catherine L. Hanaway announced today. In March 2007, a woman made a Cyber Tipline Report to the National Center for Missouri and Exploited Children (NCMEC) in Washington, D.C. In that report she stated that she had logs of inappropriate conversations between a young relative and a man. She also said that she had screen captures of inappropriate pictures sent to the relative in an instant-message communication. Upon receipt of this report, NCMEC forwarded the information to the Missouri Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. A subsequent investigation identified the man as Aaron Hopgood, residing in Rolla, Missouri, and a search warrant was executed at his residence. The search revealed multiple images of child pornography. AARON M. HOPGOOD, Rolla, Missouri, pled guilty Friday to one felony count of possession of child pornography. He appeared before United States District Judge Donald J. Stohr. Hopgood now faces a penalty range of five to twenty years in prison when he is sentenced on July 25, 2008. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, the Department of Justice launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/. Hanaway commended the work performed on the case by the Rolla Police Department, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Missouri Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Regional Computer Crimes Education and Enforcement Group and Assistant United States Attorney Allison Behrens, who is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.