INDIVIDUAL ARRESTED IN WASHINGTON STATE
ON CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CHARGES ISSUING
OUT OF WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA

“Long Arm of the Law” Reaches from Western NC to Washington State

CHARLOTTE, NC - Kevin Alan Hudson, also known as “kevin_hudson51," 44 years old, of Aberdeen, Washington, was indicted Wednesday, June 28, 2006 by the federal grand jury sitting in Charlotte, North Carolina, on eight counts alleging knowing distribution of child pornography that had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce by computer, namely certain video files and/or digital image files, all on various dates within the month of May 2006. Today’s announcement was made by United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert for the Western District of North Carolina.

Joining Shappert in today’s announcement was Cherokee County, North Carolina Sheriff Keith Loven, Nathan Thomas Gray, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Operations in North Carolina, and North Carolina SBI Director Robin Pendergraft.

“The Internet and technology have made our world a lot smaller,” said Shappert. “And the smaller our world, the farther the reach of the ‘long arm of the law,’” she added. “Those individuals who would use a home computer linked to the Internet to distribute child pornography are on notice: When law enforcement on all levels unite their resources and expertise, there is no longer anywhere for those people to hide their crimes. They will be discovered, and will be called upon to answer for their actions.”

Following the filing of the charges in Charlotte, North Carolina, Hudson was arrested at his apartment in Aberdeen, Washington on Friday, June 30. Brought before a federal magistrate judge in Washington that same day, Hudson was ordered detained and is currently being held in jail until such time as he will be afforded a detention hearing. That hearing should take place in Washington some time during the week of July 3.

If convicted, Hudson faces a maximum statutory penalty, as to each count, of not less than five years’, not more than 20 years’ imprisonment, and a fine of up to $250,000. A copy of the indictment is attached.

DEFENDANTS ARE ENTITLED TO A PRESUMPTION OF INNOCENCE UNDER THE LAW, AND THE GOVERNMENT HAS THE BURDEN OF PROVING EVERY ELEMENT OF THE CHARGES BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT.

United States Attorney Gretchen Shappert commended the work of the involved law enforcement agencies (local, state, and federal). “The sexual exploitation of children is one of the most serious crimes imaginable,” she said. “Predators who go after our most vulnerable citizens must be stopped, and we will work diligently with law enforcement to keep the Internet from being used successfully to facilitate child exploitation. This kind of depravity will not be tolerated.”

United States Attorney General Alberto Gonzales just launched a new Justice Department initiative, “Project Safe Childhood,” which aims to combat the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children nationwide. One of the keys to successful implementation of this positive undertaking is the meaningful and ongoing partnerships between federal, state, and local law enforcement. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina is committed, together with its law enforcement partners on all levels and with the Justice Department, to protecting minors and to combating sexual exploitation of minors.

As of today, according to a Justice Department national announcement, all 50 states are now participating in the National Sex Offender Public Registry Web site. Justice Department officials said in the announcement today that the Registry enhances the capacity for parents and communities to be informed and aware of sex offenders’ locations. The NSOPR represents an unprecedented public safety resource through a single query on the Web site located at www.nsopr.gov.

KEVIN ALAN HUDSON
DOCKET NUMBER 5:06CR34-V
Date of Birth: 8/18/63
1709 Boone Street, Apt. E2
Aberdeen, Washington