A Missouri man has been accused of producing and possessing child pornography, announced United States Attorney William M. McSwain. Joseph Michael Willard, 54, of Missouri, was indicted on April 26 for the production and possession of child pornography.
The indictment alleges that Willard produced and possessed images of minors – including one under age 12 – engaged in sexually explicit conduct. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of lifetime incarceration, a mandatory minimum twenty-five years imprisonment, a mandatory minimum five years supervised release up to lifetime supervised release, a $1,750,000 fine, and a $35,700 in special assessments.
‘The young victims in cases like these are victimized over and over again because the horrific images stay in circulation forever,’ U.S. Attorney McSwain said. ‘We are working diligently with our law enforcement partners to stop child exploitation, which is a national problem.’
The case was investigated by the Bethlehem Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sherri A. Stephan. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.
Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
An Indictment, Information or Criminal Complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defendant: Joseph Michael Willard
Criminal Charges: Production and Possession of Child Pornography
City and State: Missouri
Case Date: April 26
Sentence: If convicted, faces a maximum possible sentence of lifetime incarceration, a mandatory minimum twenty-five years imprisonment, a mandatory minimum five years supervised release up to lifetime supervised release, a $1,750,000 fine, and a $35,700 in special assessments.
Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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