NEWS RELEASE

OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY

WESTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI

JOHN F. WOOD

Contact Don Ledford, Public Affairs ● (816) 426-4220 ● 400 East Ninth Street, Room 5510 ● Kansas City, MO 64106

www.usdoj.gov/usao/mow/index.html

JULY 10, 2008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PROJECT SAFE CHILDHOOD

SPRINGFIELD MAN SENTENCED FOR TRANSPORTING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY OVER THE INTERNET

            SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – John F. Wood, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a Springfield, Mo., man has been sentenced for attempting to transfer child pornography over the Internet.

             Travis Wayne Claxton, 35, of Springfield, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Richard E. Dorr on Wednesday, July 9, 2008, to 12 years and seven months in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Claxton to forfeit a computer and hard drive that were used to commit the violation.

             On Nov. 21, 2007, Claxton pleaded guilty to attempting to transport child pornography over the Internet between June 18 and July 18, 2006. Claxton admitted that he attempted to transport an image of child pornography to another individual while they were engaged in an online chat. The chat indicates that the subject either opened the image or was at least familiar with, although delivery of the image has not been confirmed with the person who was chatting with Claxton.

             Claxton also admitted that he possessed at least 10 images of child pornography, including images of prepubescent children and images depicting sadistic or violent content.

            This case is being prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. Oliver. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.

Project Safe Childhood

            This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.

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This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, is available on-line at

www.usdoj.gov/usao/mow/index.html