NEWS RELEASE

OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS

A. COURTNEY COX

UNITED STATES ATTORNEY

Nine Executive Drive, Fairview Heights, Illinois 62208, Telephone (618) 628-3700

For Immediate Release

April 16, 2009

NEW ATHENS WOMAN PLEADS GUILTY TO CONSPIRACY TO PRODUCE CHILD PORNOGRAPHY AND RELATED CHARGES

A. Courtney Cox, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that on April 16, 2009, LOUISE HELEN MASULLA, age 33, of New Athens, Illinois, entered guilty pleas in federal court in East St. Louis, Illinois, to an Indictment charging her with Conspiracy to Produce Child Pornography, Conspiracy to Transport Minors with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity, Aggravated Sexual Abuse, and Transportation of Child Pornography. MASULLA’S two co-defendants had previously pled guilty to charges in the Indictment. According to a factual stipulation filed at the time of the plea, MASULLA met a codefendant in an internet chat room. During internet chats, MASULLA and a co-defendant discussed having sex with children. During the Summer of 2008, MASULLA and one co-defendant met in Alton for a sexual encounter.

Beginning in 2008, MASULLA and her co-defendants met each other in internet chat rooms and had conversations of a sexual nature which included discussion of sex with children. MASULLA included a minor during some of the internet chats and on occasion, the child was unclothed.

Around July 22, 2008, MASULLA and her co-defendants met each other at a hotel in Effingham, Illinois, and had group sexual relations. Thereafter, the three corresponded with each other via email, internet chat, and telephone, and they planned another group sexual encounter which was to take place in Indiana and which was to involve two children.

On or about July 22, 2008, MASULLA sent a video file containing child pornography to a co-defendant.

On or about August 8, 2008, MASULLA and her co-defendants traveled to the same hotel in Terre Haute, Indiana with two minor children. MASULLA and her co-defendants had group sex. During the sexual encounter, the two minor children were present and at various times were naked. MASULLA admitted that she performed oral sex on the minors at that time. Sentencing is scheduled for July 27, 2009.

The investigation supporting this prosecution was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield, Indianapolis and Chicago Divisions; the Alton Police Department; the Illinois State Police and the Cook County Sheriff’s Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne M. Garrison.