Randallstown Man Indicted for Possession and Production of Child Pornography

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                           Contact ELIZABETH MORSE

www.justice.gov/usao/md                                                     at (410) 209-4885      

Baltimore, Maryland - A federal grand jury has indicted John Michael Fowler, age 27, of Randallstown, Maryland, today on charges relating to the production and possession of child pornography.  

The indictment was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Stephen M. Schenning; Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Commissioner Kevin Davis of the Baltimore Police Department and Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby.

According to the five-count indictment, between 2013 and 2014 Fowler produced images of prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct with an adult male. In addition, Fowler is being charged with one count of possession of child pornography.

Fowler faces a possible sentence of 30 years in prison for each count of production of child pornography and 20 years in prison for possession of child pornography.  

An initial appearance is scheduled for 2:45 p.m. today in U.S. District Court in Baltimore before U.S. Magistrate Judge Beth P. Gesner.  

An indictment is not a finding of guilt.  An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings. 

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.justice.gov/psc.  For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the "resources" tab on the left of the page.

Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning commended the FBI, the Baltimore Police Department and the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Schenning thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Budlow who is prosecuting the case.