LOUISVILLE, KY - A grand jury in Paducah, Kentucky has indicted a Graves County, Kentucky man on charges of presentation of child pornography, receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography announced David J. Hale, United States Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky.

David Hummel, age 58, was initially indicted by a grand jury in Paducah, Kentucky on April 20, 2011 on charges of knowingly possessing and distributing child pornography. The Superseding Indictment, announced today, includes counts for receipt of child pornography and presentation of child pornography, in addition to the already charged possession of child pornography. The distribution count was omitted from the 3 count Superseding Indictment.

According to the Superseding Indictment, on July 26, 2009, Hummel allegedly presented, by means of a computer, an obscene visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. On July 29, 2009, Hummel knowingly possessed child pornography and that on February 20, 2007 Hummel knowingly received child pornography.

Included in the Superseding Indictment is a notice of forfeiture for a laptop computer, 12 zip drive disks, 12 CD/DVD Rom disks, and 28 floppy disks.

If convicted Hummel faces a maximum penalty of no more than 50 years in prison, $750,000 fine, and a term of supervised release for five years and up to life.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney A. Spencer McKiness and was investigated by the Kentucky Attorney General’s Cybercrimes Unit through Kentucky’s Internet Crimes Against Children “ICAC” task force.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s 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/.

* * *

The charges in the indictment are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Return to Top