Dayton Man Charged With Viewing Child Pornography While A Patient At VA Medical Center

DAYTON – A federal grand jury has charged Charles E. Suttles, 55, of Dayton with Fairfield with one count of possession of child pornography for allegedly viewing sexually explicit images of minor children while he was a patient at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Dayton in 2010.

Carter M. Stewart, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio and Gavin McClaren, Resident Agent in Charge, Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, Criminal Investigation Division, announced the indictment today.

The indictment, which was returned on January 22, 2013, alleges that in July 2010 Suttles possessed one or more matters which contained visual depictions involving the use of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Suttles was an inpatient at the Dayton VAMC. Suttles allegedly had the material on a removable computer storage device and viewed it in a computer room available to patients at the center.

The crime of possession of child pornography is punishable by at least ten years and up to 20 years in prison when the defendant has been previously convicted of that crime, plus a period of supervised release and requirements to register as a sex offender anywhere he lives, works or raises a family. Suttles was convicted in 2003 of possessing child pornography.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael R. Merz ordered Suttles held without bond pending trial at a detention hearing yesterday. U.S. District Judge Timothy S. Black will schedule the trial.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse.  Led by the U.S. Attorneys Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.

U.S. Attorney Stewart commended the investigation by the VA Inspector General’s Criminal Investigation Division, the Dayton VA Medical Center Police who assisted with the investigation and Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Glassman, who is representing the United States in the case.

An indictment merely contains allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.