Gray, Louisiana Man Indicted for Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography

U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite announced that DARION VEAL, age 20, of Gray, Louisiana, was indicted today for crimes involving the sexual exploitation of children.

VEAL was indicted as a result of a child exploitation investigation conducted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) and the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office, High Tech Crime Unit (“LAGO”).  According to court records, on January 7, 2015, HSI and LAGO agents executed a search warrant at VEAL’s residence after determining he received and distributed images depicting the sexual victimization of children.  On March 3, 2015, VEAL was taken into federal custody pursuant to a federal criminal complaint.

If convicted, VEAL faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years and a maximum penalty of twenty years, followed by up to a lifetime term of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine per count.  In addition, VEAL will be required to register as a sex offender.

U. S. Attorney Polite reiterated that the Indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

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."

U.S. Attorney praised the work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-HSI and the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office, High Tech Crime Unit in investigating this matter.  Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and Fraud Unit Chief, Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba is in charge of the prosecution.

Darion Veal Indictment.pdf (176.78 KB)