Canton Man Charged with Possession and Production of Child Pornography

Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, announced today that Ronald L. Whitmore, 54, of Canton, Ohio, was charged with possession of child pornography and production of child pornography.

The Indictment charges that on or about December 26, 2011, Whitmore possessed a Compaq Presario computer tower and numerous computer CDs that contained child pornography, which had been shipped and transported, or was produced using materials that had been shipped and transported, in interstate and foreign commerce by any means including by computer. In addition, between the dates of May 2010 and December 26, 2011,Whitmore produced visual depictions of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct, using materials that were mailed, shipped, or transported in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce.

If convicted, the sentence in this case will be determined by the court after consideration of the Federal Sentencing Guidelines which depend upon a number of factors unique to each case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the unique characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.

This case is being prosecuted by Northern District of Ohio Assistant United States Attorney Carol M. Skutnik. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Canton Resident Agency.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.