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

SEPTEMBER 10, 2008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PROJECT SAFE CHILDHOOD

LA PLATA MAN INDICTED FOR

CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – John F. Wood, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a La Plata, Mo., man has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges related to Internet child pornography.

Jeffrey Michael Powell, 29, of La Plata, was charged in a four-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2008.

The federal indictment alleges that, between July 1 and 8, 2008, Powell attempted to publish a notice offering to exchange child pornography over the Internet. The indictment also alleges that on July 4, 2008, Powell received child pornography over the Internet and attempted to distribute child pornography over the Internet. Powell is charged with possessing child pornography on July 8, 2008.

Wood cautioned that the charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katharine Fincham. It was investigated by the Sullivan County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

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