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Department of Justice Acting United States Attorney Candace G. Hill Contact: Dawn Masden |
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August 3, 2009
MORTON’S GAP MAN INDICTED FOR ATTEMPTING TO RECEIVE CHILD PORNOGRAPHY
OWENSBORO, KY - A federal grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky, returned an Indictment against Michael Harris, age 59, of Morton’s Gap, Kentucky, in Hopkins County for violating federal child exploitation laws, Acting United States Attorney Candace G. Hill announced today.
The Indictment alleges that on or about July 23, 2009, Harris knowingly attempted to receive material containing child pornography through the mail. Prior to the return of the Indictment, law enforcement officials sought a Criminal Complaint against Harris. Federal law enforcement officials with the United States Postal Inspection Service arrested Harris after executing a Search Warrant on Harris’s Morton’s Gap home. They had made a controlled delivery of what Harris expected to be child pornography prior to executing the Search Warrant.
In the event of a conviction, the maximum potential penalties are 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000.00 fine, and supervised release for a period of at least 5 years and could be any number of years, up to and including life. Additionally, Harris faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment for the attempted receipt of child pornography.
Assistant United States Attorney Jo E. Lawless is prosecuting the case. The United States Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation in conjunction with the Kentucky Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
Harris is scheduled for arraignment on August 20, 2009, at 3:30 p.m., in Owensboro, Kentucky. The United States moved for Harris’s detention. However, he was released on bond and is living in the Madisonville, Kentucky area.
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The indictment of a person by a Grand Jury is an accusation
only and that person is presumed innocent until and unless
proven guilty.
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