Defendant Charged with Producing Child Pornography Captured

ROCHESTER, N.Y.--U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Jordan McCloud, 22, of Rochester, NY, was taken into police custody early this morning by members of the U.S. Marshals Service with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Cyber Task Force and the Rochester Police Department. McCloud was charged by criminal complaint on August 18, 2014 with producing child pornography and possessing child pornography. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum of 30 years, a fine of $250,000 or both.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Marisa J. Miller, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, the defendant used his cellular phone to film co-defendant Shahmell Robinson while Robinson raped a female child under the age of 16. The conduct occurred at a residence in Greece on August 8, 2014. The videos came to the attention of law enforcement when another individual posted them on Facebook.com.

The defendant made an initial appearance this afternoon before U.S Magistrate Judge Marian W. Payson. The Government moved to detain McCloud on the grounds that he poses a risk of flight and a danger to the community. A status conference regarding bail is scheduled for September 23, 2014 at 12:00 p.m.

The criminal complaint is the culmination of an investigation on the part of members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Cyber Task Force, along with Task Force officers from the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Ciminelli and members of the Greece Police Department, under the direction of Chief Patrick Phelan.

The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.