White County Man Arrested on Child Exploitation Charges

Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that on December 28, 2013, Gary Richard Walters, 39, of Norris City, Illinois, was charged by the United States Attorney in a two-count Criminal Complaint, filed in United States District Court, with child exploitation.

Count 1 of the Complaint charged Walters with Production of Child Pornography. Count 1 charged that on or about July 6, 2013, in White County, Walters did knowingly employ, use, persuade, induce, entice, and coerce a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing any visual depiction of such conduct, and the visual depiction was transported or transmitted using any means and facility of interstate.

Count 2 of the Complaint charged Walters with Distribution of Child Pornography. Count 2 charged that on or about July 6, 2013, in White County, Walters did knowingly distribute child pornography that has been shipped or transported in or affecting interstate commerce by any means, including by computer, to-wit: a video file of an adult male performing oral sex on a prepubescent male’s penis.

Walters had an initial appearance in United States District Court in Benton, Illinois, on December 30, 2013. The Magistrate Judge ordered that Walters be held in custody pending further proceedings in this matter.

A Criminal Complaint is simply a charge filed against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

If convicted of Count 1, Walters faces from 15 to 30 years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to lifetime supervised release. If convicted of Count 2, Walters faces from 5to 20 years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to lifetime supervised release.

The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, in which the United States Attorney's Office, in conjunction with federal and state law enforcement authorities, is actively investigating and prosecuting individuals who are involved in the exploitation of children. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney George A. Norwood.