FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
AUSA VICKIE E. LEDUC at 410-209-4885
MAY 9, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BEL AIR MAN INDICTED FOR SEXUALLY EXPLOITING
A 5 YEAR OLD GIRL TO PRODUCE A VIDEO
BALTIMORE, Maryland - A federal grand jury returned a five count indictment today charging Brian Edward Dotson, age 45, of Bel Air, Maryland with sexually exploiting a minor to produce child pornography, and receipt and possession of materials depicting a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct, announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein.
United Stated Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein stated, “Sexual predators often prey on the trust of a child’s family and friends in order to sexually abuse the child. Our children cannot be protected from the terrible harm inflicted upon them unless we speak out about the depth of the depravity of this criminal activity.”
According to the complaint filed on March 23, 2006, Dotson pawned a laptop computer at a pawn shop in Edgewood, Maryland on September 23, 2005. The pawn shop owner sold and shipped the computer to his brother. The brother subsequently advised the shop owner that he had discovered a number of images on the computer depicting an adult male engaging in sexually explicit conduct with a young girl. The pawn shop owner contacted the Harford County Sheriff’s Office and on November 28, 2005, advised the sheriff’s office that the computer had been shipped back to his store.
The complaint alleges that the computer contained video/movie files dated March 5, 2005 of a five year old female forced to have sexual intercourse and engage in other sexually explicit conduct with an adult male. A Harford County detective recognized the adult male as Dotson. A distinctive, cartoon character tattoo appears in some of the video/movie files on Dotson’s left bicep.
According to the complaint, a Harford County detective met with the parents of the minor female on December 27, 2005. The parents identified the minor as their daughter, and recalled that their daughter had been to Dotson’s apartment a couple of times. The mother advised that she still had the pajama top worn by their daughter in the video. A Child Protective Services worker interviewed the daughter, who described sexual activity with Dotson. The daughter described how Dotson had penetrated her, and stated that Dotson told her not to tell anyone about the sexual
activity, which occurred “a bunch of times” in his bedroom at his apartment. The sexual abuse is believed to have occurred from about March, 2005 through October, 2005.
On December 8, 2005, the Harford County Sheriff’s Office charged Dotson with sex abuse of a minor, second degree rape, second degree sex offense and fourth degree sex offense. Later that same day, Maryland State Police arrested Dotson, who has been held without bond pending these state charges. A cartoon figure, similar to the one depicted in the video/movie files, was observed on Dotson’s left arm when he was arrested, according to the complaint.
Dotson faces a maximum federal sentence of 30 years in prison (50 years in prison if he is found to have been previously convicted of a qualifying sexual offense) followed by 5 years of supervised release. Dotson is scheduled to have his initial appearance in U.S. District Court at 3:00 p.m. today.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the investigative work performed by the Harford County Child Advocacy Center, working with the Harford County Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Maryland State Police. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Tamera Fine, who is prosecuting the case.
This page last modified—May 11, 2006