Ex-School Teacher from Anderson County Pleads Guilty to Federal Child Pornography Charges
On Wednesday, July 17th, a former school teacher from Anderson County pleaded guilty to federal charges of child pornography.
Authorities say that they began investigating 47-year-old Joey Carter after an internet provider reported that he had been downloading child pornography.
Federal investigators filed a search warrant and found photos and pictures of children in sexual situations on several computers that belonged to Carter. Carter admitted to the investigators that he had traded child pornography online.
Carter will be sentenced at a later date, but he faces up to 10 years in federal prison.
He is a former teacher for Anderson School District No. 5.
Prosecuting Federal Child Pornography Charges
Federal law defines child pornography as “any visual depiction, including any photograph, film, video, picture, or computer or computer-generated image or picture, whether made or produced by electronic, mechanical, or other means, of sexually explicit conduct, where:
- the production of the visual depiction involves the use of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct; or
- the visual depiction is a digital image, computer image, or computer-generated image that is, or is indistinguishable from, that of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct; or
- the visual depiction has been created, adapted, or modified to appear that an identifiable minor is engaging in sexually explicit conduct.”
A “minor” is defined under federal law as anyone who is under the age of 18 years old.
It is a federal crime to knowingly possess, manufacture, access, or distribute child pornography. All 50 states, and the District of Columbia, have additional laws that criminalize child pornography as a terrible sex crime charge.
South Carolina is one of nine states that has passed laws that require computer technicians, IT specialists, and others who encounter computers in their daily work, to immediately report child pornography if they encounter it. While theses specialists are not required to search computers specifically for child pornography, they must report it as soon as they find it.
The Strom Law Firm Can Help With Federal Child Pornography Charges
Have you been given a child pornography charge? Child Pornography Charges are very serious. Many people don’t know this, but getting charged with these type of charges can ruin both your personal and professional reputation. If this has happened to you, if you’ve been accused of possessing or distributing child pornography, you ‘ll need an attorney who will take your side, guide you through the legal system, and fight to protect your rights. Some of the most common sex crime charges are:
- Distribution of child pornography
- Production of child pornography
- Use of child pornography
- Possession of child pornography
- Sex with a minor
- Sexual assault
All computers have IP address that can be used to identify whether you have accessed child pornography from your computer. Also, you could get caught with child pornography if you have child pornography on your hard drive and have your computer repaired by a technician.
Being caught with child pornography on your computer usually implies that you intentionally downloaded the pornography and purposefully viewed it. The defense attorneys at the Strom Law Firm will aggressively fight to defend your rights and provide you with the best defense against child pornography and sex crime charges. We offer free, confidential consultations to discuss the facts of your case, so contact us today at 803.252.4800.
