Wrangell Man Indicted for Child Exploitation Crimes

Anchorage, Alaska – United States Attorney Karen L. Loeffler announced today that a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment against Greg Alan Salard, 53, of Wrangell, Alaska, charging him with distribution of child pornography and possession of child pornography.

The indictment alleges that on June 5, 2014, Salard distributed a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct through the internet, and that on October 15, 2014, he was in possession of child pornography.

The case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Assistant United States Attorney Kyle Reardon is prosecuting the case.

If convicted of distribution of child pornography, Salard faces a maximum statutory penalty of not less than five and up to 20 years imprisonment.  If convicted of possession of child pornography, Salard faces a maximum statutory penalty of up to 10 years imprisonment.  Both counts carry fines of up to $250,000, as well as the possibility of a lifetime period of supervised release following any sentence of imprisonment.  Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This prosecution is part of the Department of Justice’s ongoing Project Safe Childhood (PSC) initiative which was launched to increase federal prosecutions of sexual predators of children, and to reduce the number of Internet crimes against children, including distribution of child pornography.  As a part of PSC, the United States Attorney’s Office has partnered with state and local agencies and non‑governmental organizations to increase law enforcement presence on the Internet, and to educate the public about safe Internet use, thereby reducing the risk that children might fall prey to online sexual predators. For additional information on the PSC initiative, please go to www.projectsafechildhood.gov or call the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska.