Department of Justice Seal Department of Justice
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2007
WWW.USDOJ.GOV
CRM
(202) 514-2007
TDD (202) 514-1888

AM Talk Radio Personality Indicted in Child Pornography Case

WASHINGTON – A San Francisco grand jury has returned a three-count indictment charging Bernard V. Ward, 56, with distributing and receiving child pornography, Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division announced today.

Ward, a San Francisco resident who works as an AM radio station talk show personality on San Francisco-based KGO 810 NewsTalk, had his initial appearance and arraignment yesterday in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in San Francisco.

The indictment, which was returned on Sept. 20, 2007, and unsealed today, alleges that between December 2004 and January 2005, Ward received images of child pornography on his computer. Ward is also charged with two counts of knowingly distributing images of child pornography that had been mailed, shipped, and transported in interstate commerce by means of a computer.

Ward faces a maximum of 20 years in prison on each count, a $250,000 fine, and a lifetime term of supervised release.

This case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Steve Grocki and Jennifer Toritto Leonardo of the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section of the Criminal Division, U.S. Department of Justice. The investigation is being handled by the FBI, with the assistance of the Oakdale, Calif., Police Department.

An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.

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