July 28, 2009
COLORADO SPRINGS SUBSTITUTE TEACHER ARRESTED FOR TRANSPORTATION AND POSSESSION OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY
DENVER – Kyle Gregory Speed, age 52, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Denver on charges of transportation and possession of child pornography, Acting U.S. Attorney David Gaouette and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Copp announced. The indictment was returned by a federal grand jury late last week. Speed, a substitute teacher from Colorado Springs, was arrested without incident by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and Colorado Springs Police Officers. He made his initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Denver this afternoon, where he was advised of the charges pending against him. He is scheduled to appear next in Court on Friday, July 31, 2009, for arraignment and a detention hearing.
According to the indictment, on July 2, 2008, the defendant, Kyle Gregory Speed, knowingly transported in interstate commerce by any means, including a computer, child pornography, namely two video files depicting children engaging in sexual intercourse. In addition, the indictment alleges that between July 1995 through January 16, 2009, Speed knowingly possessed at various dates and times three different computers containing child pornography, which was transported in interstate commerce. Speed is also alleged to possess a 1 GB thumb drive containing child pornography. Upon conviction, the defendant faces asset forfeiture, including the forfeiture of any property used in the commission of the crime, proceeds derived from the crime, and the actual images of child pornography.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to prosecute child predators, especially those who prey on their victims from a position of trust,” said Acting U.S. Attorney David Gaouette.
“All children have an absolute right to grow up free from the fear of being sexually exploited,” said Jeffrey Copp, Special Agent in Charge of the ICE Office of Investigations in Denver. “And children should never have to fear those who are supposed to protect them. ICE will relentlessly pursue anyone who sexually exploits our most vulnerable asset, our children,” Copp said.
Speed faces seven counts in the indictment. Counts 1 and 2 alleged that he transported child pornography across state lines. If convicted, he faces not less than 5 years, and up to 20 years in federal prison, as well as a fine of $250,000 per count. Counts 3 through 6 alleged that Speed possessed child pornography. If convicted on those counts, he faces not more than 10 years imprisonment, and up to a $250,000 fine per count. In addition, Count 7 is the asset forfeiture count.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Colorado Springs Police Department, Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit..
Speed is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Davies.
These charges contained in the indictment are only allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), 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 to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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