Russell Springs Felon Sentenced To 327 Months In Prison For Sexual Abuse Of A Minor

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – A Russell Springs, Kentucky man formerly convicted of acquiring child pornography was sentenced in United States District Court this week by Senior Judge Thomas B. Russell to 327 months in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release, announced David J. Hale, United States Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky.

Morris E. Hall, Jr., age 64, was charged in a single count indictment by a federal grand jury on July 17, 2012 and pleaded guilty to the charge on December 6, 2012. Hall was indicted while completing a 78 month sentence for receipt of child pornography. According to court records, between October 5, 2005 and May 18, 2006, Hall was receiving and viewing images of child pornography, via the internet, on a United States Postal Service computer while working in the post office in Russell Springs. The abuse of the minor occurred on multiple occasions between May and August 2005 at the United States Post Office in Russell Springs.

“One of the highest priorities of my office is to protect children from sexual predators and prosecute those who prey on our most vulnerable citizens,” stated United States Attorney Hale. “This is a just sentence and will send a message to those who contemplate victimizing our children: you will go to prison.”

This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jo E. Lawless and was investigated by Kentucky State Police.

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."