For Immediate Release

September 19, 2008

CARTERVILLE MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO
CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CHARGES

A. Courtney Cox, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that on September 18, 2008, JEFFREY L. CLAYTON, age 40, of Carterville, Illinois, pled guilty in United States District Court in Benton to a two-count indictment charging him with Receipt of Child Pornography (Count 1) and Possession of Child Pornography (Count 2). The indictment alleged that the offenses were committed April 28, 2007, and May 25, 2007, respectively.

CLAYTON faces a term of imprisonment of between 5 and 20 years, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release to follow his incarceration of between 5 years and life on Count 1. He faces up to 10 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of between 5 years and life on Count 2.

Sentencing is currently scheduled for December 18, 2008, at 10:00 a.m. at the United States District Courthouse in Benton.

The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Southern Illinois Cyber Crimes Task Force, the Illinois Attorney General’s Office Crimes Against Children Task Force, and a number of state and local law enforcement agencies.

This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, in which the United States Attorney’s Office, in conjunction with federal and state law enforcement authorities, is actively investigating and prosecuting individuals who produce, distribute, or possess child pornography. Anyone with information concerning the use of the Internet for the purposes of possessing, producing, or trafficking in child pornography is encouraged to contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation or their local police department.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James M. Cutchin.