Wichita Man Charged with Distributing Child Pornography
| U.S. Attorney’s Office December 19, 2012 |
WICHITA—A Wichita man was charged Friday with distributing child pornography, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.
Amel Kevin Loop, 52, Wichita, Kansas, was charged with one count of distributing child pornography. A federal criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Wichita alleges that on November 5, 2012, Loop distributed child pornography via computer over the Internet.
An agent’s affidavit alleges that on September 11, 2012, a law enforcement officer engaged in an undercover chat session with another computer user through a peer-to-peer program. The individual said he was sexually interested in toddlers and that he had shared a boy with another adult male. He indicted he was willing “to share more than just pics.”
Investigators followed the individual’s electronic trail to a computer at a company called Strategic Financial Concepts in Wichita. Investigators found a biographical summary on the company’s website indicating that Loop was an employee of the company and a volunteer with Youth Horizons, a non-profit organization that provides mentors for children from single-parent homes.
Among the images investigators downloaded were photos of boys 8 to 12 years old in underwear or basketball uniforms.
In November 2012, an FBI agent downloaded 14 images from Loop that clearly depicted pre-pubescent children displaying their genitals and engaged in sexual acts. In one photo, a male toddler, 1 to 2 years old, lay on a yellow bedspread with his legs spread apart and his genitals exposed to the camera. An adult hand was visible holding the child’s left knee.
Subscriber information for the IP address used by the individual who posted the child pornography showed Loop was the subscriber. Investigators served search warrants at Loop’s home and his workplace. They identified a minor victim who told them that Loop had engaged in sexual contact with him approximately 11 years ago.
If convicted, Loop faces a penalty of not less than five years and not more than 20 years and a fine up to $250,000. The FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart is prosecuting.
In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.