Yulee Man Charged In Federal Court With Receiving And Distributing Child Pornography

Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announced today that Nicholas Mitko Clark (21, Yulee) has been charged by a federal criminal complaint with distributing and receiving child pornography. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years, up to twenty years in federal prison, and a potential life term of supervision. Clark was arrested on September 11, 2014, at his residence. He was ordered detained pending a hearing on September 18, 2014, at 1:00 p.m., before United States Magistrate Judge James R. Klindt, in Jacksonville.   

According to the criminal complaint, during an investigation leading to the arrest of an individual in Canada in 2013, law enforcement discovered communications between the individual in Canada and others relating to child exploitation offenses. Included in the communications were conversations between the Canadian individual and Clark. Specifically, on April 30, 2013, Clark and this individual engaged in an instant message conversation wherein Clark received and distributed images of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. A forensic examination of Clark’s computer revealed additional images of child pornography. In addition, agents located Google search terms such as “young boys on cam” and “teen boy sex” on Clark’s computer, as well as remnants of chats using another messaging service discussing a preference for young and little boys. 

Clark was employed as an after-school counselor by a youth development organization in Northeast Florida, and worked with youth through various churches. He also advertises his babysitting and child transportation services on the Internet.

A criminal complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelly S. Karase.

It is another 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.