Chillicothe Minister Pleads Guilty to Distribution of Child Pornography

COLUMBUS—Gary L. Kendall, Jr., 42, of Chillicothe, pleaded guilty in United States District Court here today to one count of distribution of child pornography after investigators found approximately 300 images on his computer depicting prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

William E. Hunt, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Keith L. Bennett, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation Cincinnati Field Division (FBI) and other agencies participating in the FBI Cybercrimes Task Force announced the plea entered today before United States District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr.

An agent participating in an FBI cyber crimes task force in New York was patrolling the Internet in February searching for people who wanted to share child pornography. The agent was contacted by Kendall via a peer-to-peer file sharing site. Kendall gave the agent a password that allowed the agent to download images of child pornography from Kendall’s computer. Investigators traced the Internet account to Kendall’s home, which was located next to the church in Chillicothe.

Agents searched the house on May 8, 2009 and seized computers and related storage media. A forensic examination found approximately 270 images of child pornography. Approximately 20 additional images were found on two compact discs seized from Kendall’s house. Kendall admitted using computers at his home and at the church to access file sharing sites. He also admitted using a software program to try and wipe the images from the computers.

Under the terms of the plea agreement, Kendall faces at least five and up to 20 years' imprisonment. Kendall also faces a possible fine of up to $250,000. His sentence will include at least five years and up to life of supervised release. While on supervised release, computer monitoring software will be placed on any computer he has access to. Kendall will also be required to register as a sex offender wherever he lives, works or goes to school. Judge Sargus will set a date for sentencing.

Hunt commended the FBI agents who investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Hunter, who is prosecuting the case. Participants in the FBI Cybercrimes Task Force include officers from the police departments in Westerville, Dublin, Reynoldsburg, and Powell, along with agents of the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation which is part of Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray’s Office.