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Press Release

Former Selmer Police Lieutenant Indicted on Federal Child Pornography Charges

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

Memphis, TN – A former Selmer Police Department lieutenant has been indicted on multiple child pornography charges. Edward L. Stanton III, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the indictment today.

According to the indictment, between February and March 2015, Tony O. Miller, 36, of Finger, Tennessee, obtained images and videos of minors, some of whom were under 12 years old, engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

An undercover Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigation identified users of a website set up for the purposes of sharing child pornography. Visitors to the website could view, download, and comment on other users' material, as well as upload their own. Miller was identified as one of the website’s users. At the time of the alleged conduct, he was a lieutenant with the Selmer Police Department.

On Wednesday, February 24, 2016, Miller was indicted on one count of receipt of child pornography and two counts of access with intent to view child pornography.

If convicted, Miller faces a minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 20 years on the receipt of child pornography charge. He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years for each access with intent to view child pornography charge.

Miller faces individual fines of up to $250,000 on each count.

This case is being investigated by the FBI and Selmer Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra Ireland is prosecuting this case on the government’s behalf.

Anyone who has information on the exploitation of minors is asked to contact the Memphis Child Exploitation Task Force at 901.747.4300.

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."

The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Updated February 24, 2016