Russell Cherry, Child Pornography Distribution and Possession, Alaska 2017

Anchorage Man Indicted on Child Pornography Charges

Anchorage, AK – A local man has been charged with distribution and possession of child pornography, according to a recent indictment.

Russell Cherry, 51, of Anchorage, was arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Hutton. The indictment alleges that between July 29 and July 31, 2017, Cherry knowingly distributed, by any means and facility of interstate and foreign commerce, visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

Further, the indictment states that on August 29, 2017, Cherry knowingly possessed images and videos depicting child sexual exploitation found on his desktop PC. If convicted, Cherry faces a statutory minimum of five years in prison and a guideline sentence of the statutory maximum of 20 years in prison.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Anchorage Police Department (APD) conducted the investigation leading to the indictment. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Alexander.

This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Project Safe Childhood combines federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as identify and rescue victims.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. If the public has any further information or concerns about the activities of Cherry, please contact the FBI at (907) 276-4441.

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