Clinton County Man Charged With Child Pornography Offenses

Miguel Angel Vasquez Torres, 34, from Beckemeyer, Illinois, was charged in federal court by a two-count criminal complaint with distribution and receipt of child pornography, United States Attorney Stephen R. Wigginton announced today. After a detention hearing held today, Vasquez Torres was held without bond pending trial.

The offenses charged in the complaint allege that on May 4, 2015, Vasquez Torres received and distributed multiple video files containing child pornography. A trial date has not yet been set.

If convicted of distribution and/or receipt of child pornography, Vasquez Torres faces a term in federal prison of not less than five years, up to twenty years, a fine up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of not less than five years up to life on each count.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 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."

This investigation was conducted by the Madison County Sheriff’s Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Metro East Cyber Crimes and Analysis Task Force, and the Clinton County Sheriff’s Department. The case is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Ali Summers for prosecution.

A criminal complaint is a formal charge against a defendant that is comprised of the essential facts constituting the offense charged. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.