Portland Man Sentenced for Possessing Child Pornography

PORTLAND, OR—Benjamin James Burchell, 46, was sentenced to 100 months in federal prison yesterday by U.S. District Judge Robert E. Jones after pleading guilty on June 21, 2012, to an information charging the possession of child pornography involving a 15-year-old female. He was also sentenced to three years of supervision with the U.S. Probation Department. Burchell’s co-defendant, Terry Leichleiter, 43, was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison on August 28, 2012, by U.S. District Judge Robert E. Jones after pleading guilty on April 17, 2012, to a charge of producing child pornography involving the same 15-year old female. Leichleiter was also sentenced to a lifetime of supervision and will be required to register as a sex offender.

The case arose in August 2011 when Leichleiter used a “chat line” service to place an oral advertisement soliciting females to engage in a pornographic film for money. The victim responded to the advertisement and eventually told Leichleiter she was 16 years old. He promised to pay her $4,000 to make a pornographic video. Weeks later, Leichleiter told the victim that another girl had canceled, and she was needed to “fill in” on a “gang bang” film (involving her and two men). Based on Leichleiter’s request, the victim traveled to his apartment and participated in sexual acts with Leichleiter and Burchell. Afterwards, Burchell used a digital camera to produce images of the victim having sex with them. Then, both men walked her to a nearby store and ATM. She waited outside with Burchell believing Leichleiter was obtaining cash for her payment. After waiting outside for a while, she went inside to find that Leichleiter left out the back door. When she went back out, Burchell had disappeared.

This case was investigated by the FBI and the Portland Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kemp L. Strickland.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, 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, Project Safe Childhood 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 Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “Resources.”