Appleton Man Indicted for Distribution and Possession of Child Pornography

James L. Santelle, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced today that a federal grand jury has returned a two-count indictment against Kent Krasin, (age 53) of Appleton, Wisconsin, for allegedly distributing and possessing child pornography. If convicted of the distribution charge Krasin faces a maximum penalty of five - 20 years' imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. The maximum penalty for possessing child pornography is 10 years' imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.

This case was the result of an investigation by special agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. In October, FBI special agents executed a search warrant at Krasin’s residence in Appleton and discovered numerous image files of child pornography on Krasin’s computer. Krasin is scheduled to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge James Sickel on December 3, 2010. Assistant United States Attorney William Roach has been assigned to prosecute this case.

According to United States Attorney Santelle, “The Department of Justice has made the protection of our nation’s children a top priority through Project Safe Childhood, and prosecutions such as this further that priority. The use of children as subjects of pornographic materials is harmful to the emotional and mental health of the child.”

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.