Kentwood Man Indicted for Possession of Child Pornography

RANDOLPH ARD (“ARD”), age 62, of Kentwood, Louisiana, was indicted today for possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Duane A. Evans.

On November 22, 2017, law enforcement officers with the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation arrested ARD at his Kentwood home after finding that ARD was in possession of several items, including a laptop computer and thumb drive that contained images depicting the sexual victimization of prepubescent children. 

Court records also revealed that ARD was previously convicted in Tangipahoa Parish Criminal District Court for pornography involving juveniles and indecent behavior with juveniles on March 6, 2013.  ARD was on state parole supervision at the time of his arrest.

U. S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the Indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

Due to his prior conviction, if convicted, ARD faces a mandatory minimum penalty of ten (10) years imprisonment up to twenty (20) years, followed by up to a life term of supervised release, and a $250,000.00 fine.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.  For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."    

U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the U. S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation, and Louisiana Probation and Parole in investigating this matter.  The prosecution of this case is being handled by Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and Fraud Section Chief, Assistant U. S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba.