Fulton Man Arrested on Child Pornography Charges
| U.S. Attorney’s Office May 20, 2011 |
United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian announced the arrest today of a Fulton man on federal child pornography charges.
A federal criminal complaint unsealed today charges LEONARD J. ALLEN, age 44, with knowingly transporting, receiving, and possessing child pornography via the Internet. The complaint alleges that in August of 2010, ALLEN sent images of child pornography to an undercover police officer in Keene, New Hampshire, and that he also used the Internet to obtain and download child pornography. Following the execution of a search warrant at ALLEN’s Fulton residence, the Oswego County Sheriff’s Office found that ALLEN possessed numerous image and video files on a computer hard drive and other electronic media.
ALLEN was arrested on the federal charges this morning, and made his initial appearance before Hon. David E. Peebles, United States Magistrate Judge. ALLEN, a registered sex offender, was ordered to remain detained pending the disposition of his case.
ALLEN faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years’ imprisonment, a maximum penalty of 40 years, potential fines of up to $250,000, and a required term of supervised release of at least five years and up to life.
The charges are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
ALLEN’s arrest is the result of an investigation by the Oswego County Sheriff’s Office, the Keene, New Hampshire Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa Fletcher, who can be reached at 448-0672.
ALLEN’s prosecution by the United States Attorney’s Office is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.