Bryan James Shuping, 58, of Trenton, Florida, was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 22 for thirteen counts of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. United States Attorney John P. Heekin for the Northern District of Florida announced the charges.
Shuping appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Midori A. Lowry in Gainesville for his arraignment. The jury trial is scheduled for September 2 at 8:30 a.m., to be held before Chief District Court Judge Allen C. Winsor in Gainesville.
If convicted, Shuping faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and up to 30 years’ imprisonment on each production count, and up to 20 years’ imprisonment on the possession count. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Gainesville Police Department, with Assistant United States Attorney Tyler A. Fleming prosecuting.
“An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt,” according to the announcement. “All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.” This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice that brings together federal, state, and local resources to address child sexual exploitation online.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida operates from courthouses in Tallahassee, Pensacola, and Gainesville; it covers 23 counties including Tallahassee and the Panhandle region; enforces federal laws; defends national security; protects civil rights; secures public funds; advances community safety; collaborates with law enforcement agencies through initiatives such as Project Safe Childhood; and serves as part of the United States Department of Justice, according to its official website.