Bail Bondsman Indicted for Producing Child Pornography

SPRINGFIELD, MO—Beth Phillips, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a bail bondsman from Kansas City, Mo., was indicted by a federal grand jury today for producing and possessing child pornography.

Joseph Vanhorn, 69, of Kansas City, Mo., was charged in a two-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo. Vanhorn is the owner of Victory Bail Bonds in Kansas City.

Today’s indictment alleges that Vanhorn used a minor, identified as “Jane Doe,” to produce child pornography from Aug. 1 to Dec. 10, 2009. The offense allegedly occurred in McDonald County, Mo.

Vanhorn is also charged with receiving and distributing child pornography over the Internet from Aug. 1, 2009, to March 3, 2010. The offense allegedly occurred in Jackson County, Mo.

The indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation, which would require Vanhorn to forfeit to the government any property used to commit the alleged offenses, including a desktop computer.

Phillips cautioned that the charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Kelleher. It was investigated by the Bonner Springs, Kan., Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Project Safe Childhood

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.