Denver Man Indicted on Charges of Distribution of Child Pornography

DENVER—Michael Keith Forrester, age 40, of Denver, Colorado, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Denver this week on five counts of distribution of child pornography, United States Attorney John Walsh and FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Thomas Ravenelle announced. Forrester made his initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Denver this afternoon before a U.S. Magistrate Judge where he was advised of his rights and the charges pending against. He is next due in court on Tuesday, June 25, 2013, at 10:00 a.m. for arraignment and a detention hearing.

According to the indictment, on five separate dates between October 19, 2009 and October 29, 2010, Forrester knowingly distributed and attempted to distribute child pornography that has been shipped and transported in and affecting interstate and foreign commerce by any means, including by computer.

If convicted, Forrester faces not less than five years and not more than 20 years’ imprisonment and up to a $250,000 fine per count for each of the five counts. He also faces not less than five years and not more than life on supervised release. The indictment also contains an asset forfeiture allegation where, if convicted of any of the violations alleged in the indictment, Forrester shall forfeit to the United States any and all of the defendant’s right, title, and interest in any property, real or personal, used or intended to be used to commit or to promote the commission of such offense or any property traceable to the crime.

This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Forrester 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.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), 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, PSC 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 PSC, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/resources.html and click on the tab “Resources.”