Dec. 18, 2008 — John Duane Green, 51, of Hernando, Fla. was indicted Thursday by a federal grand jury on St. Croix
on charges of transporting and possessing child pornography, the U.S. Attorney's Office and U.S. Customs Office announced.
The charges allege that around Sept. 24, 2008, on St. Croix, Green knowingly transported in interstate and foreign commerce by any means, including by computer, one or more visual depictions of a minor engaged in sexually explicit activity, according to the two-count indictment released by U.S. Attorney Paul A. Murphy and U.S. Immigration and Customs agent Manuel Oyola Torres. Green is also charged with knowingly possessing one or more visual depictions of explicit sexual conduct by a minor that had been mailed, shipped and transported in interstate and foreign commerce, by any means including by computer.
Murphy took the opportunity to promote a recent set of public service announcements about sexual predators.
“One of the highest priorities of the Department of Justice is combating the exploitation of children,” Murphy said. “The department recently unveiled an innovative national public service announcement campaign to educate parents about the potential dangers their children face
online and, for the first time, warn potential online predators that exploiting a child online is a serious federal offense.”
The four new PSAs were developed to highlight the risks children face on the Internet, and emphasize why it is important that parents monitor what sites their children visit and who they talk to online, Murphy said. One of the PSAs is entitled “Know Where They Go,” and another is entitled
“Exploiting a Minor Is a Major Offense.” Spanish-language PSAs also are available for television, radio, print and the Internet.
For more information about the PSAs, those interested can visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov, or call Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise A. Hinds in the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 1-340-773-3920.
An indictment is a formal charging document but is not evidence of guilt, Murphy said. All defendants are presumed innocent until found
guilty by a trial jury or otherwise in a court of law.
If convicted of the transportation of child pornography charge, Green faces a minimum of five years in prison and a maximum of 20 years. He faces a maximum of 10 years imprisonment if convicted on the possession of child pornography charge. Each charge also carries a maximum $250,000 fine.
The indictment was the result of an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement as part of Operation Predator, a nationwide initiative to protect children from sexual predators.
"The sexual exploitation and abuse of a child is one of the most heinous acts imaginable," Torres said. "Simply put, we have an obligation to protect those who cannot protect themselves."
To report suspicious activity of suspected child predators, call U.S. Immigration and Customs' toll-free hotline at 1-866-DHS-2ICE. Investigators staff this hotline around the clock. Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children can be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, at 1-800-843-5678 or http:/www.cybertipline.com.
Back Talk
Share your reaction to this news with other Source readers. Please include headline, your name and city and state/country or island where you reside.
