Kennesaw Man Indicted for Production and Possession of Child Pornography

ATLANTA—Benjamin Sanders, 55, of Kennesaw, Georgia, was arraigned today in federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Alan J. Baverman on charges of production and possession of child pornography. Sanders was indicted by a federal grand jury on November 13, 2012, for production and possession of child pornography. Sanders was detained without bond today.

United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates said, “Child pornography victimizes and exploits the most vulnerable and defenseless members of our society. This defendant is charged not only with possessing sexually explicit images of children but also with creating some of those images.”

Mark F. Giuliano, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Atlanta Field Office, stated, “The FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force provides a multitude of services, to include coordination, among area law enforcement agencies with regard to identifying and investigating those who would exploit minor children. Officers and detectives of the Cobb County Police Department, a partner agency of our task force, are to be commended for their exhaustive efforts, both investigative and technical, in bringing this matter forward for federal prosecution.”

According to United States Attorney Yates, the charges, and other information presented in court: After receiving information that Sanders had taken sexually explicit photographs of a minor, investigators from the Cobb County Police Department obtained a search warrant for Sanders’ residence in Kennesaw, Georgia. When law enforcement executed the search warrant on December 8, 2011, they found computer hard drives belonging to Sanders that contained sexually explicit images of numerous children, including several pictures allegedly taken by Sanders.

Sanders is charged with production of child pornography, a conviction that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years and a fine of $250,000. Sanders is also charged with possession of child pornography, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a fine of $250,000. Both charges carry no less than five years to a lifetime of supervised release. If convicted, Sanders will be required to register as a sex offender. In determining the actual sentence, the court will consider the United States Sentencing Guidelines, which are not binding but provide appropriate sentencing ranges for most offenders.

Members of the public are reminded that the indictment contains only allegations. A defendant is presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove a defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, the Attorney General launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices around the country, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force, of which the Cobb County Police Department is a member, and with the support of the Cobb County High Tech Crimes Unit.

Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey Brown and Special Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Morris are prosecuting the case.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Information Office at USAGAN.Pressemails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is www.justice.gov/usao/gan.