Jackson County Man Convicted of Child Pornography Charges

PANAMA CITY, FLORIDA – A federal trial jury convicted Charles Heath Stewart, 42, of Grand Ridge, Florida, of producing and possessing child pornography.  The verdict was announced today by Pamela C. Marsh, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

At trial, the government presented evidence that, on three occasions, in September, October, and November 2013, Stewart knowingly enticed a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction.  Additionally, evidence presented at trial showed that Stewart knowingly possessed child pornographic images.  Law enforcement officers discovered the sexually explicit images when they executed state and federal search warrants on Stewart’s phone in 2014.

Sentencing is scheduled for November 4, 2015, at 12:00 p.m. at the United States Courthouse, 30 West Government Street, Panama City, Florida.  For each count of production of child pornography, Stewart faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum of 30 years in prison, life on supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.  For the possession of child pornography, Stewart faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, life on supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.

The case was investigated by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, whose joint investigation led to the conviction in this case.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kathryn D. Risinger.

The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  The office strives to protect and serve the citizens of the Northern District of Florida through the ethical, vigorous, and impartial enforcement of the laws of the United States, to defend the national security, to improve the safety and quality of life in our communities through the protection of civil rights, and to protect the public funds and financial assets of the United States.  To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website.  For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

For more information, contact:

Amy Alexander, Public Information Officer

(850) 216-3854, amy.alexander@usdoj.gov