Date: 03-04-2016

Case Style: United States of America v. Charles Richard Burks

Case Number: 4:15-cr-00235-A

Judge: John McBryde

Court: United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas (Dallas County)

Plaintiff's Attorney: Aisha Saleem

Defendant's Attorney: Michael A Lehmann - FPD

Description: Dallas, TX - Mansfield, Texas, Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Producing and Distributing Child Pornography

Charles Richard Burks, 67, of Mansfield, Texas, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge John McBryde to serve a total of 20 years in federal prison, following his guilty plea in November 2015 to one count of production of child pornography and one count of distribution of child pornography.

Burks has been in custody since his arrest in July 2015 on a related federal criminal complaint, following the execution of a search warrant at his residence.

According to documents filed in the case, on approximately June 30, 2014, Burks used the Internet and Yahoo mail to distribute a video of a minor female engaged in sexually explicit conduct to another Yahoo email user. The subject line of the email was “video,” and it contained the message, “watch.”

On approximately June 9, 2015, Burks used Yahoo Instant Messenger and his Yahoo email account to communicate with an individual in the Philippines about using minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct. The two discussed what sex acts would be performed during a live show and that Burks would pay $25 for images from the show.

On approximately June 10, 2015, Burks knowingly employed, used, persuaded and induced a minor female, to engage in sexually explicit conduct, outside of the United States, so that still visual images of that conduct could be produced. Burks intended the visual images to be transported to the United States. In fact, Burks received an email from that individual in the Philippines. The subject line of the email was “here the pics,” and attached were eight images depicting the same minor female.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative, which was launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/. For more information about internet safety education, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/ and click on the tab “resources.”

Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated the case.

Outcome: Defendant was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

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Defendant's Experts:

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