Columbia Station Man Indicted on Child Pornography, Extortion, and Identity Theft Charges

A federal grand jury returned an 11-count indictment charging William T. Koch, age 23, of Columbia Station, Ohio, with producing and pandering child pornography, extortion, and identity theft, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

The indictment charges from on or about December 19, 2010 through on or about September 18, 2012, Koch attempted to coerce four different minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions of such conduct; knowing and having reason to know that such visual depictions would be transmitted, using any means or facility of interstate and foreign commerce, and in and affecting interstate and foreign commerce.

The indictment further charges or about September 9, 2012, Koch used, persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced a fifth minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of transmitting a live visual depiction of such conduct, knowing and having reason to know that such visual depiction would be transmitted, using any means or facility of interstate and foreign commerce, and in and affecting interstate and foreign commerce.

The indictment further charges on or about September 9, 2012, Koch attempted to coerce that same minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct with his 10-year-old brother, for the purpose of transmitting a live visual depiction of such conduct, knowing and having reason to know that such visual depiction would be transmitted, using any means or facility of interstate and foreign commerce, and in and affecting interstate and foreign commerce.

The indictment further charges or about September 9, 2012, Koch distributed, in and affecting interstate and foreign commerce, by computer, any material in a manner that reflected the belief and was intended to cause another to believe that the material was a visual depiction of an actual minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

The indictment further charges from or about September 9, 2012 through on or about September 18, 2012, Koch with the intent to extort a thing of value from three of the aforementioned minors, transmitted in interstate and foreign commerce, communications threatening to injure the reputations of said minors.

The indictment further charges that from on or about December 19, 2010, through on or about September 13, 2012, Koch knowingly used, without lawful authority, in and affecting interstate and foreign commerce, a means of identification of another person, with the intent to commit, and in connection with, three of the offenses charged in the indictment.

If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any; the defendant’s role in the offense; and the 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 Assistant United States Attorney Michael A. Sullivan.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations.

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.