CLARENCE BYRON CARTER, II, ENTERS GUILTY PLEA IN MIDDLE DISTRICT OF ALABAMA

Sex Offender Pleads Guilty

MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA— Clarence Byron Carter, II, 41, of Eufaula, AL, pled guilty to three counts charging Production, Receipt and Distribution, between 2002 and 2003, and Possession of Child Pornography in 2005, in interstate commerce.

Carter’s case was set for a jury trial on September 17, 2007. On September 12, 2007, Carter elected to enter a guilty plea to a felony Information charging him in Count 1 with producing sexually explicit visual depictions of prepubescent minors using material that had been produced in interstate commerce. Count 2 charged Carter with receiving child pornography and distributing it in a shared space program on his computer. Count 3 charged Carter with possessing images of child pornography that had been transmitted in interstate commerce using his computer.

Carter faces a sentence of 10 years to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000.00 and supervised release of 5 years to life. In addition, Carter will be required to register as a sex offender. A sentencing date will be set by United States District Judge Myron H. Thompson.

U.S. Attorney Leura Canary stated, “In furtherance of our Project Safe Childhood initiative, our office has partnered with federal, state and local law enforcement and prosecutors. Our goal is to federally prosecute and imprison as many persons who exploit children as possible. We believe our efforts will help eradicate a very real threat to children and make our communities safer.”

The investigation of this case began with a lead from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Tampa, Florida, and was completed by FBI agents in the Middle District of Alabama.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In May 2006, the Department of Justice launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by 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 to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Tommie Brown Hardwick and Jerusha T. Adams.