Summerville Man Faces Child Pornography Charges

United States Attorney W. Walter Wilkins stated today that Kevin J. Powers, age 47, of Summerville, was charged in a two-count Indictment with possession and receipt of child pornography.

The Indictment alleges that in March 2009, Powers knowingly possessed a computer, computer disks, and other materials that contained images of child pornography that had been mailed, shipped, and transported in interstate commerce.

The maximum penalty that Powers could receive is a fine of $250,000 and imprisonment for 20 years.

Mr. Wilkins stated that the case was investigated by agents of the FBI and that he has assigned the case to Assistant United States Attorney Rhett DeHart of the Charleston office for prosecution.

The United States Attorney stated that all charges in this Indictment are merely accusations and that all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

SC AG threatens Craigslist with prosecution

By Meg Kinnard, The Associated Press
Tuesday, May 5, 2009

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- South Carolina's top prosecutor on Tuesday called on the chief executive of popular online site Craigslist to take down ads related to prostitution and pornography or face prosecution himself.

"Many of the classified and communication services on the Craigslist site provide the public with a valuable service," Attorney General Henry McMaster wrote in a letter to company CEO Jim Buckmaster. "However, it appears that the management of Craigslist has knowingly allowed the site to be used for illegal and unlawful activity after warnings from law enforcement officials and after an agreement with 40 state attorneys general."

McMaster was referencing an agreement he and attorneys general from dozens of other states entered into with Craigslist last year to improve the site's safeguards. In that document, Craigslist agreed to several safeguards, like allowing users to flag pornographic postings they believe violate the Web site's rules.

But McMaster said Tuesday he doesn't think Craigslist has done enough to keep those images, as well as ads for prostitution, off its Web site, giving the company until May 15 to take down sex-related postings from its South Carolina sites. If that deadline isn't met, McMaster said he may prosecute the San Francisco-based company.

McMaster, whose Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force has arrested more than 150 people suspected of soliciting children for sex over the Internet, cited recent national events as his impetus for going after the company.

SUMTER MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO POSSESSING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

United States Attorney W. Walter Wilkins stated today that Richard Wayne Hill, II, age 34, of Sumter, pled guilty in federal court to possession of child pornography, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252A. Senior United States District Judge Matthew J. Perry, Jr., accepted the plea and will impose sentence at a later date.

Last June, Hill sent messages to an undercover postal Inspector posing as an online child pornography distributor. Hill contacted the investigator through an online chat room and ordered a CD containing child pornography. When law enforcement officers made a controlled delivery of the material, Hill admitted that he already had a collection of similar images. During a search of Hill’s residence, officers seized a computer and numerous CD-ROM discs that contained child pornography.

Mr. Wilkins stated the maximum penalty Hill can receive is a fine of $250,000 and imprisonment for ten years.

The case was investigated by agents of the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorney Dean A. Eichelberger of the Columbia office handled the case.

This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

Traffic Stop Lands NY Man in Prison for Child Porn

United States Attorney W. Walter Wilkins stated that David Alan Panchou, age 48, of Oswego, New York, was sentenced in federal court in Florence, South Carolina, for possession of child pornography, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252A(a)(1). United States District Judge Terry L. Wooten sentenced Panchou to 30 months imprisonment.

Panchou was stopped by Conway police officers for a traffic violation on April 21, 2007, then arrested for possession of a small amount of marijuana. During a search of the car, officers located three photographs of child pornography and a laptop computer. The computer was seized and a subsequent examination revealed that it also contained child pornography.

The case was investigated by agents of the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Conway Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney William E. Day, II, of the Florence office handled the case.