FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACTAUSA VICKIE E. LEDUC or MARCIA MURPHY at 410-209-4885

APRIL 3, 2007

SOUTHERN MARYLAND MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO TRANSPORTING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY ON THE INTERNET

Greenbelt, Maryland - Scott R. Davis, age 40, of Hollywood, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to transporting child pornography, announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein.

According to the plea agreement, on August 23, 2005, an internet user in Chicago, Illinois who had been trading images of child pornography with multiple other internet users, including Davis, consented to FBI agents assuming his on-line identity. The agents were able to determine when and what images of child pornography Davis traded from Maryland to individuals throughout the country.

On five occasions from September 4 through October 20, 2005, Davis sent emails containing child pornography to numerous individuals, including an undercover FBI agent in New York, who had began chatting on-line with Davis via an online chat room. The images depicted prepubescent children being penetrated by an adult male and the lascivious exhibition of their genitalia.

On January 31, 2006, FBI agents searched Davis’ residence and accessed his email account. The FBI determined that between January 27 and January 30, 2006, Davis sent approximately 21 different images of child pornography to more than eight different internet users in other states, including Illinois and New York.

Davis faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Peter J. Messitte has scheduled sentencing for June 14, 2007 at 9:30 a.m.

This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the investigative work performed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. Fortune, who is prosecuting the case.