MACON, Ga. – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging a Valdosta, Georgia, resident with several child pornography production charges in an ongoing investigation.
Henry Theodore Salmons aka Ted, 48, of Valdosta, is charged with three counts of production of child pornography. If convicted, Salmons faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine per count. An indictment is only an allegation of criminal conduct and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt.
The indictment alleges that the defendant enticed at least two minor children to engage in sexually explicit acts which were filmed or photographed. Parents and guardians of children who may have been in contact with Salmons are encouraged to contact the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office to share any concerns related to this investigation by calling 229-671-2900.
“It is imperative that parents and guardians of children who may have been in contact with Henry Salmons reach out to investigators at the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office with any concerns,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “We are thankful for the strong partnership we have with the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office as we all work relentlessly to protect children across the Middle District of Georgia.”
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
The case is being investigated by the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katelyn Semales and Alex Kalim are prosecuting the case for the Government.
