SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - David M. Ketchmark, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Golden, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to producing child pornography.

Timothy C. Stringer, 34, of Golden, pleaded guilty as jury selection was about to commence in his trial before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays.

By pleading guilty today, Stringer admitted that he used a 15-year-old minor to produce child pornography by taking photos with two cell phones and a digital camera between Feb. 6 and June 14, 2010. The images produced by the cell phones and camera included photos of Stringer and the minor engaged in sex.

Under federal statutes, Stringer is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison without parole, up to 30 years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $250,000. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Randall D. Eggert. It was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service Administration, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Barry County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department and the Cassville, Mo., Police Department.

Project Safe Childhood

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc  For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."

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