Newport Resident Charged with Production and Distribution of Child Pornography

Jason Wayne Soper, 31, of Newport, Michigan, was charged in a criminal complaint with production and distribution of child pornography, United States Attorney Barbara L. McQuade announced today.

Ms. McQuade was joined in the announcement by Acting Special Agent in Charge John Robert Shoup, Federal Bureau of Investigation.

According to the criminal complaint, on August 30, 2013 and August 31, 2013, Soper exchanged e-mails with an undercover task force officer and attached to those e-mails were photographs that were sexual in nature and involved minor children. The images included both male and female minors.

Soper was arrested by officers of the Southeast Michigan Crimes Against Children Taskforce (SEMCAC) over the weekend and held pending a detention hearing, which is scheduled for today at 1 p.m. in federal court in Detroit.

The investigation is being conducted by the FBI Southeast Michigan Crimes Against Children Taskforce. Anyone with information related to Soper and his communications and contacts with minors is asked to contact the FBI at 313-965-2323.

SEMCAC was established in 2007 to investigate the exploitation of children by means of prostitution (sex trafficking) in Southeastern Michigan. The task force responds to Amber Alerts for missing and abducted children in the state of Michigan and also investigates major child pornography cases. The task force consists of members from the FBI, Michigan State Police, Wayne County Sheriff’s Office, Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office, Southfield Police Department, Highland Park Police Department, Livonia Police Department, Detroit Police Department, and Roseville Police Department.

Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew Roth and Kevin Mulcahy are prosecuting this case for the United States.

A complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The burden is on the government to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.