Westminster Woman Ordered Held Without Bond Following Indictment and Arrest for the Distribution and Possession of Child Pornography

DENVER – Sharee Ewudzi-Acquah, age 47, of Westminster, Colorado, who faces child pornography related charges, was ordered held without bond this week by U.S. Magistrate Judge Kristen L. Mix following a contested detention hearing.  Ewudzi-Acquah, was indicted by a federal grand jury on October 18, 2016.  She was arrested by the FBI on October 20, 2016, which is when she was advised of her rights and the charges pending against her.  The detention hearing was held on October 31.

According to the Indictment, Ewudzi-Acquah faces two counts of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.  The first count focuses on the time period between September 8, 2015 and October 28, 2015.  The second count focuses on the time period between January 20, 2016 and March 13, 2016.  Both counts charge that the defendant knowingly distributed child pornography by any means, including computer.  The third count states that on July 28, 2016, the date federal authorities executed search warrants, she knowingly possessed child pornography.

During the detention hearing, Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Valeria Spencer argued that Ewudzi-Acquah was a danger to the community and therefore should be held without bond.  In support of her position, AUSA Spencer argued that the defendant traded child pornography with multiple users using a specific cellular telephone App that has the ability for users to trade high volumes of child pornography anonymously.  During an investigation into an individual in San Antonio, Texas, agents found evidence of child pornography trading with an individual whose IP address resolved to Westminster, Colorado.  Further investigation revealed very graphic sex chats, during which Ewudzi-Acquah sent images and videos of child pornography to the subject in San Antonio.  The Westminster IP address also came up during a separate investigation being conducted into a child pornography target in Miami, Florida. 

Following the forensic analysis on Ewudzi-Acquah’s phones, agents determined the defendant was using cloud storage, foreign emails, and foreign cloud storage – in both New Zealand and in Russia.  During one chat found on one of her devices, the defendant claimed to have molested a relative.  In total she had three phones with child pornography on them.  Evidence shows that the defendant, who had a long-term job at the University of Colorado, traded child pornography and chatted about child pornography while at work.

If convicted of distribution of child pornography, the defendant faces not less than 5 years, and up to 20 years in federal prison, as well as up to a $250,000 fine per count for each of the two counts.  If convicted of possession of child pornography, the defendant faces not more than 10 years in federal prison, and up to a $250,000 fine.

This case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Valeria Spencer.

The charges contained in the Indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.