JASPER MAN SENTENCED TO 10 YEARS IN PRISON FOR DISTRIBUTION, RECEIPT, AND POSSESSION OF SEXUALLY EXPLICIT MATERIAL INVOLVING MINORS

Timothy M. Morrison, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, announced that MICHAEL B. MUNCY, 42, of Jasper, Indiana, was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment today by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young following his guilty plea to distribution of sexually explicit material involving minors, receipt of sexually explicit material involving minors, and possession of sexually explicit material involving minors. This case was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Jasper Police Department

Between April 16, 2007, and May 22, 2007, MUNCY distributed, received, and possessed sexually explicit material involving minors using a computer he operated from his residence in Jasper, Indiana. MUNCY admitted that 23 videos containing sexually explicit material involving minors were downloaded to his computer using file sharing software. MUNCY also admitted that he sent sexually explicit material involving minors to an undercover police officer in New Hampshire using an e-mail account.

This case was brought as a part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, the Department of Justice launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys Offices, Project Safe Childhood uses federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please see www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.

According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd S. Shellenbarger, who prosecuted the case for the government, Judge Young also imposed lifetime supervised release following MUNCY’s release from imprisonment. During the period of supervised release, MUNCY cannot have unsupervised contact with minors, must submit to a search of his residence, must have any use of a computer closely monitored, and must register as a sex offender in the place where he lives.

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