SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – John F. Wood, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that an Anderson, Mo., man has been charged in federal court with receiving child pornography over the Internet.

Quentin Venter, 33, of Anderson, was charged in a federal criminal complaint filed on Tuesday, April 15, 2008, at the U.S. District Court in Springfield, Mo.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the federal criminal complaint, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Venter’s residence on Aug. 16, 2007, and seized a desktop computer that was located in a bedroom and a laptop computer that was located in a bathroom. Analysts found 46 images and 69 video files of child pornography during a forensic examination of the laptop computer, the affidavit says. There were also 12 video files of child pornography on the desktop computer, according to the affidavit. The image and video files depict girls and boys engaged in sexual activity, including a photo of a 4-year-old female victim.

Wood cautioned that the charge contained in this complaint is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charge must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

This case is being prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. Oliver. It was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Missouri State Technological Assistant Team (STAT) and the McDonald County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.