Cleveland man charge for having images of sexual exploitation of children

Aa grand jury returned a one-count indictment charging Matthew Taylor Hadlock, 19, of Cleveland, with receiving and distributing visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct and possessing child pornography, said Acting U.S. Attorney David A. Sierleja.

If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant's role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian McDonough following an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations Cleveland.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government's burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.