Two Yolo County Men Indicted for Child Pornography Offenses

SACRAMENTO, CA—United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced that a federal grand jury returned indictments today against two Yolo County residents for child pornography offenses.

The grand jury returned a one-count indictment charging Steven R. Russell, 62, of Woodland with possession of child pornography. The indictment alleges that Russell possessed child pornography in December 2010. Russell, who was released from prison one year ago after a prior conviction for possession of child pornography, was found to be using the Internet to download pornography despite conditions of release that prohibited him from doing so.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Yolo County District Attorney's Office. United States Attorney Matthew Morris is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Russell faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, but due to his prior conviction, he faces a 10-year mandatory-minimum sentence. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

The grand jury also returned a two-count indictment charging Alexander N. Norris, 22, of Davis, with child pornography offenses. The indictment alleges that Norris used file-sharing software on the Internet between December 2010 and April 2011 to allow child pornography to be shared and downloaded.

According to court documents, agents learned that an individual had hacked into a neighbor's wireless Internet connection. The computer was traced to Norris, and he was arrested on April 12, 2011 and released on conditions limiting his access to children. He is scheduled to be arraigned on May 2, 2011 before Magistrate Judge Edmund F. Brennan.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. United States Attorney Matthew Morris is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Norris faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

The charges are only allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC mobilizes federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information, visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov or call the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of California and ask to speak with the PSC coordinator.