Federal Grand Jury Indicts Jefferson County and Marshall County Men in Separate Child Pornography Cases

BIRMINGHAM – A federal grand jury today, in separate and unrelated indictments, charged a Jefferson County man with producing child pornography and a Marshall County man with receiving and possessing child pornography, U.S. Attorney Joyce White Vance, FBI Special Agent in Charge Roger C. Stanton and Birmingham Police Chief A.C. Roper announced.

A one-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges LARRY DEAN GARRETT JR., 36, of Birmingham, with producing child pornography in 2015 and 2016.

            The indictment charges that Garrett enticed or coerced a pre-school child to engage in sexual conduct for the purpose of producing a visual image of the act.

The maximum penalty for producing child pornography is 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. If certain statutory enhancements apply, the sentence can increase to a maximum of 50 years in prison.

The FBI and Birmingham Police Department investigated the case involving Garrett, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacquelyn Hutzell is prosecuting.

A two-count indictment filed in the district court charges STEVEN VINCENT SMITH, 53, of Albertville, with receiving and possessing child pornography in 2015 and 2016.

The maximum penalty for each count of receiving and possessing child pornography is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The FBI investigated the case involving Smith, which Hutzell also is prosecuting.

Members of the public are reminded that an indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent of the charges unless and until proven guilty.

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