Jeffrey Greenwell was indicted for producing child pornography, Acting United States Attorney Michael W. Reap announced today.

Greenwell, 32, Sullivan, MO, was indicted by a federal grand jury late Thursday, December 3, on one felony count of production of child pornography.  The indictment alleges that between January 1, 2007 and October 23, 2009, Greenwell  induced a minor child to engage in sexually explicit conduct so he could photograph the child.  He is expected to appear in federal court early next week.

If convicted, production of child pornography carries a penalty range of 15 to 30 years in prison and/or fines up to $250,000.

“People who produce child pornography don’t usually exploit just one victim,” said Mike Kaste, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in St. Louis. “We encourage all victims to come forward to help lock away the predators.”

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), 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.

Reap commended the work on the case by the  Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department and the Regional Computer Crime Education and Enforcement Group; and Assistant United States Attorney Carrie Costantin, who is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

The charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations, and each defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.