NORFOLK, Va. - A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging a Chesapeake man with receipt and possession of child pornography.
According to court records, Gerald Porter, 70, of Chesapeake, was identified by two different law enforcement agencies during undercover investigations into peer-to-peer file-sharing network users sharing child pornography. Both agencies downloaded numerous files of child pornography from Porter’s computer. Porter was also a bible-school teacher for a local church.
Porter has been charged with receipt and possession of child pornography, and faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years and a maximum of 20 years in prison if convicted. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Col. K.L. Wright, Chief of Chesapeake Police; and Michael K. Lamonea, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Norfolk, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth M. Yusi is prosecuting the case.
This case is 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 and click on the tab “resources" for more information about Internet safety education.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:17-cr-93.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
