Fairfield Man Indicted on Child Pornography Charges

CINCINNATI – A federal grand jury has charged Richard Jay Sharp, 53, previously of Fairfield, Ohio, with one count of production and two counts of possession of child pornography in an indictment returned in Cincinnati.

Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Steve Francis, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, announced the indictment returned yesterday.

The indictment alleges that Sharp distributed child pornography in June 2015 and possessed pornography of children under the age of 12 in October 2015. Sharp allegedly sent the explicit material through Internet links in a conversation with undercover investigators and is also alleged to have downloaded child pornography on a work laptop with a thumb drive.

Distribution of child pornography is punishable by a range of five to 20 years in prison. Possession of child pornography carries a maximum potential sentence of 10 years for each count.

U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the Australian Federal Police and HSI, and Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Oakley, who is prosecuting the case.

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

If you believe you have information related to Sharp’s alleged conduct, please contact Homeland Security Investigations at 866-347-2423.