ART ARNOLD WELLER, 49, of Ocean Shores, Washington, was charged today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma with Receipt of Child Pornography. WELLER will make his initial appearance on the charge at 2:30 tomorrow.

According to the complaint, WELLER was identified through an FBI investigation of the sharing of child pornography through Peer-to-Peer (P2P) file sharing technology. Using a P2P program, FBI investigators determined that a computer utilized by WELLER contained images of child pornography in its shared file folder. On January 23, 2008, agents served a search warrant at WELLER’s Ocean Shores home. A forensic review of WELLER’s computer revealed 2,967 still images of child pornography and 301 videos of child pornography. Many of the images depicted children under the age of twelve.

WELLER is employed as a cook at an Ocean Shores restaurant.

Receipt of Child Pornography is punishable by a mandatory minimum five years, up to twenty years in prison, a $250,000 fine and supervised release of five years to life.

The charges contained in the complaint are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

The case is being investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Ocean Shores Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mike Dion.

For additional information please contact Emily Langlie, Public Affairs Officer for the United States Attorney’s Office, at (206) 553-4110.

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