FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

TUESDAY - March 15, 2011

NEW BERN RESIDENT PLEADS GUILTY TO A CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CHARGE

GREENVILLE - United States Attorney George E.B. Holding announced that in federal court yesterday KURT PAUL NEUMEISTER, 37, of New Bern, North Carolina, pled guilty before United States Magistrate Judge David W. Daniel to receipt of child pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252(a)(2).

A Federal Grand Jury returned a Criminal Indictment on December 21, 2010.

According to the investigation, while conducting undercover operations on the Gnutella network in February, 2010, the agent determined that NEUMEISTER’s IP address was logging onto several internet files sharing sites known for trading child pornography. The Gnutella network is a computer network often used for sharing child pornography. After identifying NEUMEISTER through his user information, a search warrant was obtained. After speaking with NEUMEISTER and performing a search of his residence, agents confiscated a Dell computer, memory cards, a thumbdrive, and multiple CDs and DVDs. Forensic examination of the computer returned 380 digital images and 103 videos of child pornography.

Sentencing is set for the June, 2011, term of court.

This case was part of the Project Safe Childhood initiative, a national program aimed at ensuring that criminals exploiting children are effectively prosecuted by making full use of all available law enforcement resources at every level. For more information about this important national project, Project Safe Childhood, go to www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

Investigation of this case was conducted by the North Carolina and the New Bern Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Ethan Ontjes represented the government.