Tallahassee Man Charged with Committing Federal Child Pornography Crimes

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Milton Sumrell, 43, of Tallahassee, was arraigned today in the U.S. District Court in Tallahassee after a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging him with production of child pornography, enticement of a minor to perform illegal sex acts, and possession of child pornography.  The indictment was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

The indictment alleges that, in October and November 2017, Sumrell persuaded a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography and persuaded someone under age 18 to engage in sexual activity.  The indictment further alleges that, between January and March 2018, Sumrell possessed child pornography.  The trial is scheduled for June 11, 2018, at 8:15 a.m.

If convicted, Sumrell faces a minimum of 15 years and maximum of 30 years in prison for the production charge, a minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison for the enticement charge, and a maximum of 10 years in prison for the possession charge.

The case is being investigated by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, and the Trumann Police Department (Arkansas).  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Harwin.

An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt.  All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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.  To access 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.