For Immediate Release

October 29, 2008

THREE CHARGED WITH CONSPIRACY TO PRODUCE CHILD PORNOGRAPHY AND RELATED CHARGES

A. Courtney Cox, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that LOUISE HELEN MASULLA, age 32, of New Athens, Illinois; TABITHA D. ROBINSON, age 32, of Midlothian, Illinois; and WILLIAM M. MILLIGAN, age 27, of Bloomington, Indiana, were charged in a Criminal Complaint filed October 27, 2008, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois with child exploitation offenses. MASULLA, ROBINSON, and MILLIGAN were charged with Conspiracy to Produce Child Pornography and with Conspiracy to Transport Minors with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity. In addition, MASULLA was charged with Aggravated Sexual Abuse and Transportation of Child Pornography. MILLIGAN was also charged with Receipt of Child Pornography.

The offense of Conspiracy to Produce Child Pornography carries a penalty of from 15 years up to 30 years. The Conspiracy to Transport Minors with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity offense carries a penalty of from 10 years to life. Aggravated Sexual Abuse carries a penalty of 30 years up to life. The offense of Transportation and Receipt of Child Pornography are charges carrying a penalty of from 5 to 20 years. The offenses also carry a term of supervised release of from five years to life.

A criminal complaint is a formal charge against a defendant that is comprised of the essential facts constituting the offense charged. Under the law, a defendant has the right to have the evidence considered by a grand jury and to be charged by way of indictment. A defendant is presumed to be innocent of all charges until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.

The violations are alleged to have occurred between July 22, 2008 and August 10, 2008, in Madison County, Illinois, and elsewhere. The affidavit to the complaint indicates that the investigation began as a result of a report made to the Alton, Illinois, Police Department regarding criminal sexual conduct involving a child and activities occurring in Internet chat rooms. The complaint alleges that MASULLA, ROBINSON, and MILLIGAN were involved in a sexual encounter in an Indiana hotel room with victims of the age of eleven and three, and that photographs of the sexual activity were taken.

FBI Special Agent in Charge, Karen E. Spangenberg emphasized, “This investigation is a prime example of why it is crucial for law enforcement agencies to engage in proactive, multi-agency investigations. The Cyber Crimes Task Force facilitates a productive working relationship among all agencies who are working together everyday, sharing resources and expertise, to combat the exploitation of children. The FBI and its law enforcement partners will not hesitate to use all available investigative techniques and technology to identify and capture those who abuse children.”

According to Cox, “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to the protection of children from those who abuse and exploit them. In this cause, we value the work and dedication of the FBI through its Cyber Crimes Task Force, and the many law enforcement agencies who assist and participate in this important work. Our message to child predators is this: if you exploit children, we will find you and we will prosecute you.”

The investigation and prosecution of this case are 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 evidence supporting the charges contained in the Criminal Complaint was obtained in an investigation conducted by the Springfield, Chicago, and Indianapolis offices of the FBI, the Alton Police Department, the Illinois State Police, and the Cook County Sheriff’s Police Department. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana, assisted in the investigation of MILLIGAN. The case is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne M. Garrison for prosecution.