HOUSTON - A federal grand jury has returned a four-count indictment against as 27-year-old man from the North Houston area in relation to the sexual exploitation of a child, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson. Christopher Lynn Persky is charged with one count each of production, distribution, receipt and possession of child pornography.
The indictment was returned today. Persky is expected to make his initial appearance before a U.S. magistrate judge in the near future.
According to the criminal complaint originally filed in the case, Persky first came to the attention of law enforcement after an individual identified online as CHRISPYTWEAK had sent images of child erotica to an undercover agent using the chat feature on a known child pornography site. At that time, Persky allegedly provided his full name and further claimed to work for TSA, according to the criminal complaint. He is no longer employed by TSA.
Court documents allege that Persky took sexually explicit photographs of a minor male under the age of five. According to the complaint, Persky took the images and was to send them to another individual with whom he was communicating in exchange for more images of child pornography.
The criminal complaint further alleges that while at his previous residence in Spring, Persky allegedly took partially nude images of a minor relative’s female friend while she was sleeping. Persky also allegedly took photos of a female relative as she was getting out of the shower to show to his online child pornography community.
If convicted, Persky faces a minimum of 15 and up to 30 years in federal prison for the production of child pornography. He further faces a minimum of five and up to 20 years imprisonment for the distribution and receipt allegations, while the possession of child pornography carries a possible punishment of up to 10 years in federal prison.
The charges are the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations.
This case, prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sherri Zack and Kimberly Leo, was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' 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 individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
