Thibodaux Man Charged with Receiving Child Sexual Abuse Material and Obscene Visual Representations of the Sexual Abuse of Children

NEW ORLEANS –  U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that a two-count indictment was unsealed today charging SIMON PAUL ADAMS (a/k/a Kevon Godson), age 27, a resident of Thibodaux, Louisiana, with receiving and attempting to receive child sexual abuse material (CSAM), in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252(a)(2) (Count 1) and receiving obscene visual representations of the sexual abuse of children, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1466A (Count 2).  The unsealed indictment revealed that a federal  grand jury  returned the indictment under seal on September 29, 2023.

As to  Count 1,  beginning at a time unknown, but not later than on or about March 26, 2023, and continuing until on or about July 3, 2023, ADAMS, received images, including some as young as approximately three (3) years old, engaging in sexually explicit conduct as defined in Title 18, United States Code, Section 2256(2), and such visual depictions were of such conduct, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252(a)(2) and (b)(1).

As to Count 2, beginning at a time unknown, but not later than on or about March 26, 2023, and continuing until on or about July 3, 2023, ADAMS, did knowingly produce, distribute, receive, and possess with the intent to distribute, images of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1466A(a)(1) and 2252A(b)(1).

ADAMS faces a mandatory minimum of five (5) years in prison and a maximum term of imprisonment of twenty (20) years as to each of Counts 1 and 2.  ADAMS also faces a lifetime of supervised release and up to a $250,000 fine, as to each of Counts 1 and 2.  ADAMS may also be required to register as a sex offender.

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

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 www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter.  Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg , Chief of the Public Integrity Unit , is in charge of the prosecution.