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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
June 3, 2008
OVERLAND PARK MAN’S CHILD PORN COLLECTION CAME FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – Photos of a dozen child abuse victims previously identified by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children were found on the computer of an Overland Park man who pleaded guilty Monday to child pornography charges.
Brian D. Harris, 41, Overland Park, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of child pornography.
“Mr. Harris had a collection of child pornography with images from all over the world,” said U.S. Attorney. “Through the Internet, images of cruel and criminal treatment of children are being circulated among collectors in every corner of the globe.”
For example, investigators found images on Harris’ computer from a series of photos identified by NCMEC as “the Golden Angel.” The child who appears in the photos was found in Germany by the German Federal Police.
In his plea, Harris admitted that he installed file sharing programs Kazaa and Morpheus on his computer. The programs allowed him to download files containing child pornography from other users. In turn, other users could download images of child pornography from his computer.
In November 2006, an agent with the FBI Cyber Crimes Task Force downloaded a file from Harris’ computer with the name “08 yo rides grandpa,” which contained images of an adult male having sex with a young female, and another file that contained a 5-minute movie of an adult male having sex with a young female. Investigators followed an electronic trail to Harris’ computer in Shawnee, Kan., where they served a search warrant on Nov. 30, 2006.
A forensic examination of the computer found more than 60 movie files containing child pornography, including images of children younger than 3 years old being anally raped.
Sentencing is set for Aug. 25, 2008. He faces a penalty of not less than 5 years and not more than 20 years and a fine up to $250,000. Melgren commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Martin for their work on the case.
This case is being prosecuted under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood, which aims to protect children from sexual predators. For more information, visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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