Anchorage Man Indicted on Child Pornography Charges

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that Russell Cherry, 51, of Anchorage, has been indicted on charges of distribution and possession of child pornography.  Cherry was arraigned this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Hutton.

The indictment alleges that, between July 29 and July 31, 2017, Cherry knowingly distributed, by any means and facility of interstate and foreign commerce, visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.  It is further alleged that, on Aug. 29, 2017, Cherry knowingly possessed images and videos depicting child sexual exploitation found on his desktop PC.

If the public has any further information or concerns about the activities of Cherry, please contact the FBI at (907) 276-4441.

If convicted, Cherry faces a statutory minimum of five years in prison and guideline sentence of the statutory maximum of 20 years in prison.  Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Anchorage Police Department (APD) conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Alexander.

This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood.  In May 2006, DOJ launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse.  Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood combines federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.