Fort Myers Man Charged with Possession and Distribution of Child Pornography

FORT MYERS, FL—United States Attorney Robert E. O'Neill announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Gerald Howard Meyer (61, Fort Myers) with one count of possession of child pornography and two counts of distribution of child pornography. If convicted of the possession charge, Meyer faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. If convicted of the distribution charges, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for each count. The indictment also notifies Meyer that the United States intends to forfeit a Dell Inspiron tower computer and a Seagate hard drive, which are alleged to be property used to commit the offenses.

According to the indictment, from at least September 16, 2010 through February 2, 2011, Meyer knowingly possessed child pornography that he had downloaded from the Internet. Further, according to the indictment, on October 18, 2010, and on November 17, 2010, Meyer knowingly distributed child pornography over the Internet.

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of the federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Yolande G. Viacava.

It was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Le 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 via the Internet, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.