Federal Jury Convicts Indiana Man Of Distribution And Transportation Of Child Pornography And Making Notice Of Visual Depictions Of Minors Engaging In Sexually Explicit Conduct

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – A federal jury in Asheville has convicted Brandon Keith Hardy, 44, of Bremen, Indiana, of distribution and transportation of child pornography, and making notice of visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

Ronnie Martinez, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in North Carolina and South Carolina, joins U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

“Hardy’s conviction reflects the important work we do every day to keep children safe and prosecute those who seek to harm them. Child predators using anonymous online networks and encryption walls to exploit children and evade justice will not deter our mission,” said U.S. Attorney King.

“Protecting children from predators that seek to exploit them is one of the most important missions for HSI,” Special Agent in Charge Martinez. “We are fully committed to working with our law enforcement partners to identify, investigate and prosecute these individuals for their heinous crimes.”

According to filed court documents, trial evidence, and witness testimony, law enforcement determined that an individual later identified as Hardy was using chatrooms on the dark web to traffic child sexual abuse material and to solicit sexual activity with a minor. Trial evidence established that over the course of the investigation Hardy used the dark web and an encrypted text messaging platform to share dark web links to child pornography with undercover law enforcement. Evidence presented at trial also established that Hardy possessed a collection of child pornography on his phone, expressed his interest in engaging in sexual activity with a child, and said he had sexually abused other children.

Hardy is currently in federal custody. A sentencing date has not been set. The charge of transportation of child pornography and distribution of child pornography each carry a minimum statutory sentence of five years and a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The notice of child pornography charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King commended HSI for their investigation of the case.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville is prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.