Polk County Man Indicted on Federal Child Pornography Charges

TAMPA, FL—United States Attorney Robert E. O’Neill announces the return by a grand jury of an indictment charging Gary Michael Simpson (48, Winter Haven) with one count of transporting or shipping child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. On the transportation count, Simpson faces a mandatory minimum of five years in federal prison and a maximum term of 20 years in federal prison. On the possession count, Simpson faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. Simpson was arrested in Winter Haven, Florida and had his initial appearance in federal court in Tampa today.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lisset G. Hanewicz.

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of the federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

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 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.projectsafechildhoood.gov.