Three Ohio Men Charged in Case Involving Sexual Abuse of Toddlers

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Documents were unsealed that charge three Ohio men with crimes related to child pornography.

In May, a federal grand jury charged David E. Fairchild, 45, of Kirkersville, Ohio, Jesse G. Szuba, 31, of Newark, Ohio, and Mike Allen, 36, of  Heath, Ohio, in a second superseding indictment unsealed yesterday evening. Fairchild and Szuba are each charged with conspiring to produce child pornography, among other related crimes.

Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine, Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin, Angela L. Byers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, and other members of the Franklin County Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force announced the charges.

According to court documents, in January 2018, the Franklin County ICAC Task Force received a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding a video depicting child sexual abuse. The video was uploaded to Google from the username “David TwistedBottomFreak Fairchild” and depicted an adult male anally penetrating a toddler-aged child.

The 11-count second superseding indictment alleges Fairchild sexually abused a female victim, born in 2016, and created child pornography involving the victim.

Likewise, it is alleged that Szuba attempted to produce child pornography involving a boy born in 2014.

Szuba and Fairchild allegedly met on Craigslist and communicated with each other about sexually abusing the toddlers. During their communications, they exchanged child pornography files and discussed plans to engage in various sex acts with each other and the victims.

It is further alleged that Szuba suggested other sex acts that Fairchild perpetrate against the female victim and asked Fairchild to send Szuba pictures or videos of that abuse.

In response to watching a video of Fairchild sexually abusing the toddler girl, Szuba messaged Fairchild that he “liked” the video “espically [sic] when she started whimpering.” Between January 26 and January 31, 2018, Szuba repeatedly requested, and Fairchild repeatedly sent, images and videos depicting sexual abuse of the female toddler.

Fairchild sent child pornography files to Allen, as well.

Szuba pleaded guilty in late August to advertising for child pornography, which is punishable by a range of 15 to 30 years in prison.

Conspiring to produce child pornography is also a federal crime punishable by a range of 15 to 30 years in prison. Receiving child pornography carries a potential sentence of five to 20 years in prison.

U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) and the Franklin County ICAC Task Force, as well as Assistant United States Attorneys Heather A. Hill and Jonathan J.C. Grey, who are prosecuting the case.

An indictment merely contains allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

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