Wright City, Missouri, Man Indicted on Federal Child Pornography Charges

ST. LOUIS, MO—James Harper was indicted on multiple charges of transportation and possession of child pornography, Acting United States Attorney Michael W. Reap announced today.

JAMES HARPER, Wright City, Missouri, was indicted on September 3 by a federal grand jury on two felony counts of transportation of child pornography and two felony counts of possession of child pornography.

The indictment alleges that the activities occurred between January and August, 2008.

If convicted, each count of transportation of child pornography carries a penalty range of 5 to 20 years in prison and/or fines up to $250,000. Each count of possession carries a maximum penalty of 10 years prison and/or fines up to $250,000.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

Reap commended the work performed on the case by the Warren County Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Assistant United States Attorney Rob Livergood, who is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

The charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations, and each defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.