BIRMINGHAM – A federal grand jury returned an indictment on
Feb. 27 charging an Alabama man, who was arrested earlier today, with
production, distribution and receipt of child pornography, announced Assistant
Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal
Division, U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town and FBI Special Agent in Charge Johnnie
Sharp, Jr.
Benjamin Eugene Walter, 38, of Decatur, Alabama, was charged
by indictment with five counts of production of child pornography, one count of
distribution of child pornography and one count of receipt of child
pornography. Walter was arrested on
March 7 pursuant to an arrest warrant issued in conjunction with the
indictment.
The indictment alleges that, between Nov. 2013 and July
2014, Walter used and attempted to use five minors to engage in sexually
explicit conduct for the purpose of transmitting a live visual depiction of
such conduct. The indictment further
alleges that Walter distributed child pornography in December 2015 and received
child pornography between November 2013 and December 2015.
This investigation is a 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 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 FBI is investigating this case. Trial Attorney William M. Grady of the
Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and
Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Leann White are prosecuting the case.
The charges in the indictment are merely allegations, and
the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable
doubt in a court of law.
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