Fort Myers Couple Guilty of Child Porn Production
A Fort Myers couple has been found guilty of producing child pornography, a heinous crime that has shaken the community.
According to court documents, Alan Robert Johnson, 35, and Jennifer A. Sparks, 39, of North Fort Myers, pleaded guilty to producing child pornography. Johnson faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 25 years, up to a maximum penalty of 50 years in federal prison. Sparks faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years, up to a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison.
The couple’s crimes were uncovered after a private citizen turned in a cellular telephone that Johnson and Sparks had used to produce the child pornography. The cell phone had been found in a shopping cart at a Lee County Wal-Mart on or about June 2, 2012.
Further investigation revealed that Johnson was a registered sex offender. A subsequent search warrant was obtained for his residence, and another cellular phone was located in the bedroom shared by Sparks and Johnson. That cellular phone also contained sexually explicit images of the minor.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes the Cape Coral Police Department and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Yolande G. Viacava.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. 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.
The community is breathing a sigh of relief as justice has been served. However, the severity of the crimes committed by Johnson and Sparks cannot be overstated. The production of child pornography is a heinous crime that can have lasting effects on its victims. As this case comes to a close, it serves as a reminder of the importance of protecting our children and holding perpetrators accountable for their actions.
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Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release ↗
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