Hogsett Announces Rescue of Child and a 35-Year Sentence for Christopher Reid on Charges of Producing and Distributing Child Pornography

INDIANAPOLIS—Joseph H. Hogsett, United States Attorney, announced that Christopher Reid, age 37, of Saginaw, Michigan, has been sentenced to 420 months (35 years) in prison by U.S. District Judge Jane E. Magnus-Stinson following his guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute and receive child pornography, as well as production of child pornography.

“Investigators recognized early on that the e-mail group constituted an international conspiracy and seemed to contain numerous members who were actively sexually exploiting children here in Indiana and across the globe,” said Hogsett. “We focused our efforts on saving those children and bringing their abusers to justice, launching an investigation that has taken us from The Netherlands to New Albany and now to Michigan.”

“The rescue of 8-year-old Jane Doe from Mr. Reid’s ongoing sexual abuse, as well as the rescue of more than a dozen other children in this operation, represents a significant success by our Project Safe Childhood team,” Hogsett added.

Reid was a member of an e-mail group focused on the trading of child pornography images primarily depicting babies and toddlers. Among the co-conspirators was David R. Bostic, a Bloomington resident who was sentenced in November for his role in the conspiracy, as well as his production of child pornography images of five children under five years of age. Reid was captured and charged as part of the international operation to apprehend those involved with Bostic in the trafficking of child pornography that was announced in June 2011.

Reid also was convicted and sentenced for his production of child pornography images of an 8-year-old girl, named as “Jane Doe” in order to protect her identity. At least a dozen sexually explicit images depicting the child were produced on three separate dates beginning in early December 2011, and extending through March 23, 2011—only two weeks before Reid’s April 5, 2011 arrest in Michigan relating to his alleged connection to the e-mail group involving Bostic. Reid had remained in custody pending his sentencing today.

The case against Reid was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney A. Brant Cook of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana, and Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) Trial Attorney Michael Grant of the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. The investigation, arrest, and charging of Reid is the result of the significant efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Indiana State Police.

According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Cook, Judge Magnus-Stinson also imposed lifetime supervised release following Reid’s release from prison, and ordered restitution for the victim.

This case was brought as 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 the Criminal Division’s CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

http://www.fbi.gov/indianapolis/press-releases/2012/hogsett-announces-rescue-of-child-and-a-35-year-sentence-for-michigan-man-on-charges-of-producing-and-distributing-child-pornography

and not before time.... really wish the Judges in this country would impose strict sentences on child abuse of any sort.