MAJOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY INDICTMENT

April 9, 2010
• Posted in

Paul Pavlock is charged with 23 counts of encouraging child sexual abuse

Oregon Attorney General John Kroger today announced the indictment of a child pornography case that has led to additional investigations across the country.

“This is a major child pornography case that has led to investigations across the United States and Europe,” said Attorney General Kroger.

Paul Pavlock was indicted Thursday afternoon in Washington County on 23 counts of encouraging child sexual abuse. Pavlock is scheduled to be arraigned April 15.

A criminal indictment is merely an allegation. Every criminal defendant is considered innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

The investigation that led to Pavlock’s indictment has identified an additional 36 child pornography suspects in 20 states. An additional 41 overseas suspects also have been identified. These leads have been forwarded to other law enforcement agencies.

Senior Assistant Attorney General Andrew Campbell is prosecuting the case.

The public is strongly encouraged to report information involving on-line sexual exploitation of children to their local law enforcement agency or to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at www.cybertipline.com or by calling 1-800-843-5678. Tips can be submitted anonymously.

The Oregon Department of Justice ICAC unit investigates and prosecutes predators who use the internet to target and sexually exploit children. The unit works with district attorneys, law enforcement agencies and regional task forces that investigate online predators. ICAC is the only program in Oregon that is equipped with the necessary resources to catch sex predators throughout the state. Budget cuts last year threatened to end the program in Oregon, but Attorney General Kroger made restoring the funds a top public safety priority. Last year, Kroger announced that the Oregon Department of Justice received a $665,000 federal stimulus grant to keep the program operating.

From 2005 and 2009, 138 internet predators were convicted as a result of ICAC’s work.

Attorney General John Kroger leads the Oregon Department of Justice. The Department’s mission is to fight crime and fraud, protect the environment, improve child welfare, promote a positive business climate, and defend the rights of all Oregonians.

Contact:

Tony Green, (503) 378-6002 tony.green@doj.state.or.us |