Newberg Man Charged with Producing, Receiving, and Possessing Child Pornography

PORTLAND, OR—A Newberg golf instructor and amateur photographer has been charged with a variety of federal child pornography offenses. Rodney Mead Pelling, 68, was arraigned this afternoon in U.S. District Court in Eugene on an indictment charging him with five counts of producing child pornography, four counts of receiving child pornography, and one count of possessing child pornography. He entered pleas of not guilty to each count, and was detained pending trial by U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas Coffin. Trial is set for July 21, 2009 before U.S. District Judge Ann Aiken.

Each of the charges in the indictment is a felony. Each count of producing child pornography carries a sentence of 15 to 30 years’ imprisonment. Each count of receiving child pornography carries a sentence of five to 20 years’ imprisonment. Possessing child pornography carries a maximum sentence of ten years’ imprisonment.

Pelling came to the attention of law enforcement officers after he was seen engaging in inappropriate behavior with a 12-year-old girl at a motel in Sisters, Oregon. The ensuing investigation revealed that Pelling traveled throughout Oregon with the girl, who was involved in various golf and gymnastics competitions. Pelling created numerous sexually explicit images of the minor both at his residence, and during the course of their travels.

The indictment alleges that Pelling produced child pornography in Yamhill, Coos, and Douglas Counties between, April 9, 2007, and May 4, 2008. The indictment also alleges that Pelling received images of child pornography on at least four separate occasions between October 2006 and January 2007, and that he possessed child pornography in July 2008.

Pelling was previously charged in Deschutes and Yamhill Counties with multiple counts of sex abuse and using a child in a display of sexually explicit conduct. Those charges are still pending.

Karin J. Immergut, United States Attorney for the District of Oregon praised the cooperative efforts of local, state, and federal law enforcement officers which led to the charges against Pelling. “This is a very serious case involving the repeated sexual exploitation of a young child,” she said, which was “made worse by the fact that Rodney Pelling chose to photograph and thereby memorialize that exploitation.” She added, “We are pleased to work with our state and local partners to help ensure that Mr. Pelling is held to account for the heinous acts he committed.”

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

This case was investigated by the Deschutes and Yamhill County Sheriff’s Offices, the Oregon State Police, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Gary Sussman and AnneMarie Sgarlata.

An indictment is only an accusation of a crime. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.