Denton Deputy Joe Cummings Indicted for Child Pornography

Plano, TX – In a chilling turn of events, Joe Edward Cummings, 36, of Justin, TX, has been charged with child exploitation after being indicted by a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Texas.

Cummings, a deputy with the Denton County Sheriff’s Department, stands accused of transporting and possessing child pornography between June and October 2014. The indictment details his use of both the internet and cloud-based storage services to distribute the illegal material.

The defendant made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Don Bush on December 12, 2014. If convicted, Cummings faces a federal prison sentence ranging from five to twenty years.

This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a Justice Department initiative launched in 2006 to combat child exploitation and abuse. The investigation was spearheaded by the United States Secret Service, Texas Rangers, Justin Police Department, Denton County Sheriff’s Office, and U.S. Marshals Service.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Marisa Miller is handling the prosecution. As per legal protocol, Cummings is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.

For more information on Project Safe Childhood, visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.