EATONTON GEORGIA DAYCARE WORKER PLEADS GUILTY TO TRANSPORTING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

U.S. Department of Justice United States Attorney Southern District of Georgia Post Office Box 8970 Savannah, GA 31412 (912) 652-4422 / FAX (912) 652-4805 100 Bull Street Savannah, GA 31401 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Edmund A. Booth, Jr. United States Attorney NO: (706) 724-0517 Wednesday, March 5, 2008 EATONTON, GEORGIA DAYCARE WORKER PLEADS GUILTY TO TRANSPORTING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY AUGUSTA: Edmund A. Booth, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, today announced that Jesse Scott Ward of Crawfordville, Georgia pled guilty to one count of Transporting Child Pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252A(a)(1). During the guilty plea hearing before U.S. District Judge Lisa Godbey Wood in U.S. District Court in Augusta, on March 4,2008, the evidence showed Mr. Ward transported through the internet at least one image of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct and that he possessed over 950 pictures and 21 videos of child pornography. The evidence further showed Mr. Ward worked at a children’s daycare facility in Eatonton, Georgia and had prior experience in law enforcement. Booth noted that a sentencing date will be scheduled following the completion of a presentence investigation and report. The case was the result of a joint investigation by Special Agent Brian Ozden of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Agent Charles Kicklighter of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Innocent Images International Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Wade represented the Government. Booth commented that this case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, which is a nationwide U.S. Department of Justice 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 identify and rescue victims. #### 30-08 2