CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell
sentenced Brian Scott Harden, 39, of Hendersonville, N.C. late yesterday to 210
months in prison on child pornography charges, announced Andrew Murray, U.S.
Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Harden was also ordered to
pay a $5,000 special assessment, serve a lifetime term of supervised release,
and register as a sex offender after he is released from prison.
John A. Strong, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North
Carolina, and Sheriff Darren Campbell of the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office
join U.S. Attorney Murray in making today’s announcement.
According to court documents and information introduced at
the sentencing hearing, law enforcement became aware that on June 13, 2018,
Harden was distributing child pornography to another individual via “Skype,” an
internet messaging app that allows users to video chat and share messages,
images, and videos. Law enforcement executed a search at Harden’s residence,
and seized multiple computer devices, cellular phones and a CD. A forensic
analysis of the seized items revealed that Harden possessed more than 600
images of child pornography, including images of children under 12, and
material depicting the violent, sadistic or masochistic sexual abuse of
children.
As Harden admitted in filed court documents, prior to his
arrest, he had been sending and receiving child pornography online for at least
two years. Harden further admitted that
he frequently visited websites and chat rooms online to locate and download
child pornography, and to trade images with other individuals.
On September 12, 2019, Harden pleaded guilty to distribution
and attempted distribution of child pornography. Harden is currently in federal
custody. All federal sentences are
served without the possibility of parole.
U.S. Attorney Murray thanked the FBI and the Iredell County
Sheriff’s Office for their investigation of this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Wasserman prosecuted the case,
and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Odulio represented the Government at the sentencing
hearing.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a
nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice, aimed at
combating the growing online sexual exploitation of children. By combining resources, federal, state and
local agencies are better able to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals
who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue those
victims. For more information about
Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov
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