LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Actor Mark Salling, who had a supporting role as a high school athlete-turned-singer in the TV series "Glee," was indicted on Friday on charges of receiving and possessing child p*********y, officials said.
The 33-year-old Salling agreed to turn himself in on June 3 to face the charges filed in federal court in Los Angeles, the U.S. Attorney"s Office for the region said in a statement.
Representatives for Salling, a Los Angeles resident, and his attorney, did not immediately return calls.
The federal charges against the Texas-born Salling for receipt and possession of child p*********y stem from his arrest by Los Angeles police and federal agents on Dec. 29, 2015. He was released on bail of $20,000 and was initially expected to be charged in Los Angeles County court.
But after investigators realized the "scope of the collection" of child p**n they had uncovered, the case was handed over to federal prosecutors, the U.S. Attorney"s Office said.
"The traditional stereotype about the kinds of people who commit child sexual exploitation crimes simply doesn"t dovetail with reality," Joseph Macias, a special agent in charge for the Department of Homeland Security, said in a statement on the filing of the charges.
Macias added that child p*********y suspects can be of "all ages and from all walks of life."
Salling"s arrest came after investigators received a tip that he was in possession of child p**n, Los Angeles police said in a statement at the time.
A laptop, a hard drive and a mobile flash drive from Salling"s home contained thousands of images and videos of child p*********y, and investigators continue to review the material, federal prosecutors said.
In the meantime, the charges against the actor center on a still image and three videos of child p*********y depicting young girls, the statement said. The two charges each carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
Salling on the Fox television show "Glee," which ran from 2009 to 2015, played Puck, a bully and a football player who shows a softer side when he joins the glee club at his high school.
Before that show, Salling had a number of smaller roles, including a part in 1996 horror film "Children of the Corn IV: The Gathering."
(Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis; Editing by David Gregorio and Andrew Hay)
Glee - Interview of Mark Salling and Dianna Agron in Australia .
Actor Mark Salling, best known for his appearance in the popular TV series Glee, was charged Friday with receiving and possessing child p*********y, federal prosecutors announced.
Actor Mark Salling arrives at the Premiere Of Twentieth Century Foxs Glee: The 3D Concert Movie at the Regency Village Theater on August 6, 2011 in Westwood. (Credit: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Salling, 33, allegedly used the Internet to receive a still image and a video of young girls on December 26, 2015, according to a two-count indictment returned to a grand jury, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Central District of California said in a news release.
Those who download and possess child p*********y create a market that causes more children to be harmed, said United States Attorney Eileen M. Decker. Young victims are harmed every time an image is generated, every time it is distributed, and every time it is viewed.
A resident of the San Fernando ValleysShadow Hills neighborhood, the actoris also officiallyaccused of possessing two videos that show child p*********y on December 29, the statement said.
In 2015, authoritiesseized a laptop, hard drive and USB flash drive from Sallings home that contained thousands of images and videos of child p*********y, according to the press release. That material is still under investigation.
Through his attorney, Salling has agreed to turn himself in to federal authorities on June 3, prosecutors said. He is expected to be arraigned on that day.
The traditional stereotype about the kinds of people who commit child sexual exploitation crimes simply doesnt dovetail with reality, said Special Agent in Charge Joseph Macias of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements Los Angeles field office. As our investigators can attest, the defendants in child p*********y cases come in all ages and from all walks of life.
Salling portrayed Noah Puck Puckerman in 96 episodes of Glee from 2009 to 2015, according to IMDB.com. He also appeared in the filmsRocky Road and Glee: the 3D Concert Movie.
"Glee" Actor Mark Salling Child-Porn Investigation Update - Crime Watch Daily
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