FORMER TEACHER CHARGED WITH POSSESSION OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY
Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Michael Shea, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) announced the filing of a one count Information against Jerome Emery Pearson, 43, of Hialeah, Florida, charging him with possession of child pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252(a)(4)(B) and (b)(2). Pearson was initially granted bond but allegedly violated the conditions of his release by accessing images of adult pornography on his home computer on September 4, 2011. A pre-trial detention hearing is scheduled for September 12, 2011.
According to the Criminal Information filed in the case and an earlier affidavit filed in support of a Criminal Complaint, a search of Pearson’s personal laptop computer revealed more than 1,500 images of child pornography. According to statements made in court during the pre-trial detention hearing, Pearson had been a math teacher with the Broward County School Board and has since resigned.
This case was presented as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Project Safe Childhood was launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and is 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 www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of ICE-HSI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam McMichael.
An information is only an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
