Kanawha County Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Producing Child Pornography

Defendant admitted to producing and distributing sexually explicit images of a toddler

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Kanawha County man was sentenced yesterday to spend 30 years in federal prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release for a child pornography crime, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Robert Daniel Mullins, 37, of South Charleston, previously pled guilty on April 25, 2018, to production of child pornography.  Stuart praised the investigative efforts of Homeland Security Investigations, the West Virginia State Police, the Australian Federal Police, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and the Toronto Police Service. 

“Every single day of that 30 year sentence is deserved,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart.  “Horrific.  Such a horrific crime. We will do everything within our power to put guys like Mullins behind bars for as long as possible.” 

Between August 5, 2017, and February 18, 2018, he took several sexually explicit photographs of a toddler, at least one of which depicted sexual contact between Mullins and the minor. Mullins then distributed at least two of the sexually explicit images of the toddler to others around the world via the messaging service Kik. In addition to producing and distributing these images of child pornography, Mullins also used the Kik messaging service to exchange child pornography with other users in Canada and Australia. Mullins also offered to take sexually explicit photographs of minors to send to the individual in Australia.

He will also be required to register as a sex offender for at least 25 years.

Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald is in charge of the prosecution. The sentence was handed down by United States District Judge Irene C. Berger.

This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

SDWVNews and USAttyStuart

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