A Louisiana woman, Hannah Kinchen, has admitted guilt in a case involving child sexual exploitation. According to the court documents, Kinchen, aged 40 from Gonzales, coordinated with a photographer, who referred to himself as a "pedophile", to conduct photoshoots under the guise of furthering a minor's modeling career. During these sessions, Kinchen assisted the photographer in capturing images of the minor in revealing clothing. These images, sent to Kinchen via an internet file-sharing platform, were later determined to include child pornography, some of which were sold.
Kinchen has pleaded guilty to a charge of receipt of child pornography. Her sentencing is set for July 15, where she could face a sentence ranging from a minimum of five years to a maximum of 20 years in prison. The sentence will be decided by a federal district court judge, based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other considerations.
The announcement of Kinchen's guilty plea was made by Matthew R. Galeotti, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting U.S. Attorney April M. Leon for the Middle District of Louisiana; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Tapp of the FBI’s New Orleans Field Division. The investigation was handled by the FBI New Orleans Division - Baton Rouge Resident Agency.
The legal proceedings are being directed by Trial Attorney Rachel L. Rothberg from the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen L. Craig for the Middle District of Louisiana. Significant contributions have also come from CEOS Trial Attorney Charles Schmitz.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative by the Department of Justice launched in May 2006 to address child sexual exploitation and abuse. Project Safe Childhood brings together resources at the federal, state, and local levels to better identify, apprehend, and prosecute offenders, as well as to rescue victims. More information on Project Safe Childhood is available at www.justice.gov/psc.
