Phelps County Man Indicted on Federal Child Pornography Charges

St. Louis, Missouri: Leonard J. Cook, Jr. was indicted on federal charges of possession of child pornography, United States Attorney Catherine L. Hanaway, Phelps County Prosecuting Attorney Courtney George, and Rolla Police Chief Mark Kearse announced today.

The indictment alleges that Cook possessed images containing child pornography on his computer in September 2007.

LEONARD J. COOK, JR., Rolla, Missouri, was indicted by a federal grand jury in St. Louis on one felony count of possession of child pornography. He is expected to appear in federal court in St. Louis early next week.

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison and/or fines up to $250,000.

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/.

Besides the Rolla Prosecuting Attorney and Police Department, Hanaway commended the work performed on the case by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control, the Missouri Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Regional Computer Crimes Education and Enforcement Group, and Assistant United States Attorney Hal Goldsmith, 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.

Press Releases | St. Louis Home