Former Chatham County Deputy Sheriff Pleads Guilty To Federal Charge Of Producing Child Pornography

Savannah, GA: Richard Adam Hall, 52, a former Chatham County Deputy Sheriff from Savannah, Georgia, pled guilty yesterday before United States District Court Judge William T. Moore, Jr. to producing child pornography.  Yesterday’s plea resolves federal charges brought against Hall, which alleged that Hall coerced a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography.

According to evidence presented at the guilty plea hearing, Hall’s residence was searched by law enforcement officials as part of an investigation into allegations that, while he was a deputy sheriff, Hall had had molested a child.  During the search of Hall’s residence, law enforcement officials recovered numerous sexually explicit photographs of a juvenile male.  Further investigation revealed that the minor depicted in the photographs traveled with Hall to Tennessee and Florida, where the minor was molested by Hall on multiple occasions.  The sexually explicit photographs of the minor were taken by Hall when the victim was approximately 12 years old.

As a result of his plea to a federal charge, Hall faces a statutory penalty of not less than 15 years nor more than 30 years in a federal prison; a fine up to $250,000; and 5 years of supervised release.  United States Attorney Edward Tarver noted that there is no parole in the federal system.  Hall’s sentencing will be scheduled upon the completion of a presentence investigation conducted by the United States Probation Office.

Earlier this year, a Chatham County grand jury indicted Hall on 25 counts of child molestation and related offenses.  State charges against Hall remain pending.

The federal charges against Hall arose out of a joint investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Chatham County District Attorney’s Office, the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, and the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department.  Assistant United States Attorneys Brian T. Rafferty and Daniel R. Crumby are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.  For additional information, please contact First Assistant United States Attorney James D. Durham at (912) 201-2547.