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Press Release

Calloway County, Kentucky, Man Charged With Multiple Counts Of Sexual Exploitation Of Children, Production Of Child Pornography, And Sex Trafficking Of Children

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Kentucky

Twelve minor victims identified in a 27 count federal indictment

PADUCAH, Ky. – A Calloway County, Kentucky, man was charged by grand jury in a 27 count indictment with inducing minor victims to engage in sexually explicit conduct, inducing minor victims to produce visual depictions of that conduct which were then transmitted over the internet, and with inducing a minor to engage in commercial sex acts announced United States Attorney John E. Kuhn, Jr.

Jeffrey Desmond Carter, 37, of Murray, Kentucky, was charged specifically with 25 counts of production of child pornography, one count of receiving child pornography, and one count of sex trafficking of children.

Carter was initially charged in a criminal complaint on October 6, 2016. According to an Affidavit attached to the complaint, on February 6, 2015, the Murray (Kentucky) Police Department was notified that a 14-year-old female had sent sexually explicit photos and videos of herself to Carter, through a Facebook messenger account under the name of Adam Bryan.  

Law enforcement was able to determine the Facebook address of the suspect was Jeffrey D. Carter who resided in Murray, Kentucky. Further, a search warrant on the Facebook account revealed that multiple IP addresses were being used by Jeffrey Carter and law enforcement was able to identify thousands of messenger conversations between Carter and multiple victims.

The alleged conduct charged in the indictment took place between March of 2013, and January of 2015. Carter was charged in Calloway County Circuit Court and currently is in state custody. The Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney has agreed that the federal case should proceed first against Carter, and will seek to dismiss without prejudice the current charges, thereby preserving the right of the Commonwealth to renew prosecution of the state charges following the conclusion of the federal case. 

If convicted at trial, Carter faces a mandatory prison term of no less than 15 years in prison for counts 1-22, 24, 25, & 27; no less than 5 years in prison for count 23; no less than 10 years in prison for count 26; and up to and including a lifetime period of supervised release.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Seth A. Hancock and is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  In addition to the original investigative agencies, the Murray Police Department and Calloway County Sheriff’s Department, assistance in the Federal investigation is also being received from the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department; McCracken County Sheriff’s Department; Metropolis, Illinois Police Department; Murray State University Police Department; and the Purchase Area Sexual Assault and Child Advocacy Center

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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 United States 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 individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc  For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."

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The indictment of a person by a Grand Jury is an accusation only and that person is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty  

Updated October 24, 2016

Topic
Project Safe Childhood