WRANGELL MAN PLEADS GUILTY IN FEDERAL COURT
TO DISTRIBUTION AND POSSESSION OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

Anchorage, Alaska – United States Attorney Nelson P. Cohen announced today, September 13, 2007, that Rock Shoghi Baldwin, a resident of Wrangell, Alaska, most recently living in Ketchikan, pleaded guilty in federal court in Juneau, to distribution and possession of child pornography.

Baldwin, age 49, pleaded guilty to four counts of distribution and two counts of possession of child pornography before United States District Court Judge Timothy M. Burgess.

In connection with the guilty plea, Assistant United States Attorney Audrey J. Renschen advised the court that on four occasions, Baldwin distributed child pornography by sending picture attachments by email, and that Baldwin also possessed thousands of images of child pornography. One of the possession counts was based on Baldwin’s possession of child pornography in Wrangell, Alaska. There, a computer tower and other external media storage items containing child pornography were found in the bedroom of Baldwin’s residence. The other possession count was based on Baldwin’s possession of child pornography in Juneau, Alaska, where Baldwin was working. Federal agents there found child pornography images stored on a media card in Baldwin’s personal digital assistant (PDA), and stored on multiple DVDs, found with his portable DVD player.

Judge Burgess said he would schedule sentencing sometime in December. The law provides for a total sentence of 100 years in prison, a fine of $1.5 million, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the criminal history, if any, of the defendant. The distribution charges, by statute, require a minimum sentence of five years imprisonment.

Pending sentencing, the Court ordered Baldwin to be detained.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Baldwin, and was assisted by the Wrangell Police Department, and law enforcement agents from the Alaska State Troopers, and the FBI, who are members of the Alaska Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales 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 combines 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 visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/ .

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