D.C. police officer facing child pornography charges

A Maryland resident who is a member of the Washington D.C. police force was arrested on Monday, December 2, 2013 for allegedly producing child pornography. The man has been released on bail until his hearing, but he faces severe penalties if convicted of the charges he faces. People should be aware of the punishments for convictions of federal child pornography charges.

Federal child pornography charges

The police officer was arrested for child pornography charges after a 15 year-old girl and her mother reported that the officer had taken inappropriate photographs of the girl when responding to a report that the girl had run away. The girl’s mother had called the police to report her daughter missing on Saturday, but when the girl returned home on Sunday afternoon the mother called the police to cancel the runaway report. The police officer came to the girl’s apartment Sunday evening while he was on duty, spoke to the mother and then asked to speak to the girl.

He went into the girl’s room and told her he needed to document any injuries she had with photographs, according to the criminal complaint. He told her to remove her shirt for the photographs, and then had her remove her shorts so he could photograph her tattoos. The officer then left, and the girl reported what happened to her mother. The mother then called the police and filed a complaint.

Potential penalties for child pornography charges

The officer was charged with one count of production of child pornography. If he is convicted, he could be sentenced to up to 30 years in federal prison. He would then have to register as a sex offender after release. While waiting for his hearing, the officer is subject to the high-intensity monitoring program, which entails electronic monitoring and a curfew from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. for the first 21 days of his release. The supervision becomes less intense after the first 21 days.

The officer is going to live with his father in Maryland while awaiting trial, and the officer’s father had to surrender the deed to his home as another condition of the officer’s release.

Speak with a lawyer

Merely being charged in relation to child pornography matters carries a heavy stigma. The penalties for convictions of such charges are severe. Those who are facing child pornography charges should seek the assistance of an attorney with broad experience handling child pornography cases who can help defend their rights.