A Kansas City, Missouri man has been charged with multiple child pornography offenses following the unsealing of a federal criminal complaint in U.S. District Court.
Luis Leony Valentin, 34, faces charges including production of child pornography, receipt of child pornography over the internet, and possession of child pornography. Valentin was arrested and made his initial court appearance on the same day.
According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, Valentin allegedly communicated online with a 14-year-old to obtain sexually explicit images of the minor. Authorities say he also possessed several videos depicting minor females in sexual acts.
“The charges contained in this complaint are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence,” according to officials.
The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen A. Brackett. The case was investigated by the Kansas City Missouri Police Department and the FBI.
This matter is part of Project Safe Childhood, a national effort started in May 2006 by the Department of Justice that brings together federal, state, and local agencies to investigate and prosecute cases involving child sexual exploitation and abuse. More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at www.usdoj.gov/psc.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri oversees federal prosecutions and civil litigation across 66 counties in western Missouri. The office has locations in Kansas City, Jefferson City, and Springfield; it works closely with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement partners to address issues such as violent crime and drug trafficking (https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdmo). Its jurisdiction covers territory from the Iowa border southward to Arkansas and from Kansas eastward halfway across Missouri (https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdmo).
The U.S. Attorney for this district supports community outreach programs focused on prevention as well as legal action against various crimes (https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdmo). The office operates under the umbrella of the U.S. Department of Justice (https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdmo).
For additional information about Internet safety education resources related to this case or Project Safe Childhood initiatives, visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
