Local Man Indicted For Possessing And Producing Child Pornography Involving A Minor Under Age Two

DALLAS — James Brian Rivers, 23, of Dallas, who remains in custody following his arrest earlier this summer on a federal complaint alleging that he used a prepubescent child to produce child pornography, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of production of child pornography and one count of possession of prepubescent child pornography.  Today’s announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña of the Northern District of Texas.

According to documents filed in the case, on June 30, 2013, Rivers left his cellphone at a neighbor’s home.  The neighbor looked through the cellphone and observed multiple images of child pornography and called 911.  When officers with the Dallas Police Department arrived at the residence, they seized the cell phone obtained a search warrant for the phone.  A forensic review of the phone revealed multiple images and one video depicting child pornography involving a prepubescent child. 

A federal indictment is an accusation by a grand jury and a defendant is entitled to the presumption of innocence unless proven guilty.  If convicted, however, the production count carries a maximum statutory penalty of not less than 15 years or more than 30 years in federal prison and the possession count carries a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in federal prison.  Each count of conviction also carries a maximum statutory fine of $250,000 and up to a lifetime of supervised release.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative, which was launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.  For more information about internet safety education, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/ and click on the tab “resources.”

The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Dallas Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Camille Sparks is in charge of the prosecution.