October 15, 2007
WEST RUTLAND MAN PLEADS GUILTY
TO POSSESSION OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY
The United States Attorney’s Office announced that on October 11, 2007, Roger Grandchamp, 43, pleaded guilty in United States District Court in Burlington to possession of child pornography. Grandchamp has been ordered detained pending sentencing, which is scheduled for February 19, 2008 before the Honorable William K. Sessions, III.
According to Court documents, the charge stemmed from an investigation undertaken by the Scranton, Pennsylvania Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. In investigating a child pornography case in Pennsylvania, the FBI determined that a computer screen name registered to a West Rutland, Vermont address had been used to send sexually explicit images of pre-adolescent children to a Pennsylvania resident. The FBI in Pennsylvania alerted FBI agents in Rutland, Vermont. On March 29, 2007, Vermont FBI agents executed a search warrant at the defendant’s house and seized his computer. He was indicted by the federal grand jury sitting in Rutland on April 11, 2007.
The defendant faces a maximum sentence of not more than ten years and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence will be imposed after the preparation of a presentence report and consideration of the relevant United States Sentencing Guidelines, as well as statutory sentencing factors.
This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, the Department of Justice launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney 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.
United States Attorney Thomas D. Anderson thanked the Federal Bureau of Investigation, who investigated the case. Assistant Federal Public Defender Elizabeth Mann represents the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth Woodcock has been assigned to prosecute the case for the United States.
