TWO INDICTED FOR RECEIPT AND POSSESSION OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

Baltimore, Maryland - In separate federal indictments, a grand jury charged Victor William Kunst, Jr., age 56, of Columbia, Maryland and Harold Leroy Rivers, age 62, of Pikesville, Maryland, today with receipt and possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein.

According to Kunst’s two count indictment, he received a video file containing moving digital images of child pornography, and possessed child pornography, all of which had been shipped by computer.

Rivers’ six count indictment charges that he received five images of child pornography and possessed child pornography, all of which had been shipped by computer.

Kunst faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum of 30 years in prison for receipt of child pornography and a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum of 20 years in prison for possession of child pornography, followed by supervised release for life. Rivers faces a minimum mandatory sentence of five years, and a maximum of 20 years in prison followed by supervised release for life for receipt of child pornography and a maximum penalty of ten years in prison, followed by supervised release for life for possession of child pornography.

An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.

This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, the Department of Justice launched 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 about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/ .

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the Federal Bureau of Investigation for their investigative work in the Rivers case and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Howard County Police Department for their investigative work in the Kunst case. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Bonnie S. Greenberg, who is prosecuting both cases.