Wasilla Man Indicted on Federal Child Pornography Charges

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Karen L. Loeffler announced today that a federal grand jury in Anchorage indicted Devin Lee Peterson for production and possession of child pornography.

According to the indictment filed today in federal court, on July 22, 2016, Peterson produced a video of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2251(a). The indictment also alleges that on Dec. 6, 2016, Peterson possessed images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252(a)(4)(B).

Under federal law, the maximum penalty for production of child pornography is not less than 15 years in prison and to 30 years. The maximum punishment for possession of child pornography is up to 10 years in prison. Both offenses carry fines of up to $250,000, and terms of supervised release following imprisonment of not less than five years and up to life. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

The Alaska State Troopers (AST) conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case. The FBI provided assistance to AST.

This case 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. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet safety education.

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.