Washington County Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison on Federal Child Pornography Charges

St. Louis, Missouri: Reynold Edward Shivers was sentenced to 360 months in prison for production of child pornography, United States Attorney Catherine L. Hanaway and Washington County Prosecuting Attorney John Rupp announced today.

“The production of these types of images creates a permanent record of sexual abuse,” said Hanaway. “Mr. Shivers and people like him deserve to receive the maximum penalties allowed by law to remove them from society.”

“We are pleased with the outcome of this case. It sends a strong message to those who abuse our children,” added Prosecuting Attorney Rupp.

In 2007 investigators received information concerning child molestation and child pornography allegations involving Reynold Edward Shivers, a/k/a "Eddie Shivers." Further investigation revealed that Shivers had created sexually explicit photographs of three children, ages eight, five, and two.

REYNOLD EDWARD SHIVERS, Mineral Point, Missouri, pled guilty last November to two felony counts of production of child pornography. He appeared today for sentencing before United States District Judge Charles A. Shaw.

This case was 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 to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.

Hanaway commended the work performed on the case by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Washington County Sheriff’s Department, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Missouri Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Regional Computer Crimes Education and Enforcement Group, and Assistant United States Attorney Tiffany Becker, who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

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