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 7, 2008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PROJECT SAFE CHILDHOOD

ANDERSON MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO RECEIVING

CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – John F. Wood, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that an Anderson, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to receiving child pornography over the Internet.

Quentin Venter, 33, of Anderson, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge James C. England this morning to the charge contained in a May 7, 2008, federal indictment.

Venter admitted that he received child pornography over the Internet between Jan. 8 and Aug. 10, 2007.

Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Venter’s residence on Aug. 16, 2007, and seized a desktop computer that was located in a bedroom and a laptop computer that was located in a bathroom. Analysts found 46 images and 69 video files of child pornography during a forensic examination of the laptop computer. There were also 12 video files of child pornography on the desktop computer. Some of the videos and images depict prepubescent victims as well as sadistic, masochistic and violent acts.

Venter admitted that he used his wife’s credit card to purchase access to Internet Web sites containing child pornography and that he subscribed to two or three Web sites containing child pornography.

By pleading guilty today, Venter also agreed to forfeit to the government a Toshiba laptop computer and a Dell Dimension 4550, which were used to commit the offense.

Under federal statutes, Venter could be subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison without parole, up to 20 years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $250,000. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. Oliver. It was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Missouri State Technological Assistant Team (STAT) and the McDonald County, Mo., Sheriff’s 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/.

****************

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