SOUTH BEND – Ashley D. Harper, 49 years old, of Michigan City, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Jon E. DeGuilio on his plea of guilty to production of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
Harper was sentenced to 210 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, in July of 2021, Harper produced child pornography involving a minor under the age of 12.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with the assistance of the Indiana State Police and Michigan City Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John M. Maciejczyk.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov .
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