ALLEN DISE INDICTED ON CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CHARGES

BUFFALO, N.Y.--A federal grand jury in Buffalo returned a four-count indictment June 7, charging Allen Dise, 47, of Albion, N.Y., with possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Terrance P. Flynn of the Western District of New York. The charges carry a maximum penalty, per count, of ten years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000. Dise was arraigned on the indictment today before United States Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul J. Campana stated that the Indictment charges the defendant with possessing child pornography on his computer in Albion, N.Y., and on three compact disks. Before last week's action by the grand jury, Dise had been charged in September 2006 in a federal criminal complaint. Dise continues to be on pretrial release.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit .

The Indictment was the culmination of an investigation on the part of Investigators of the New York State Police, under the direction of Christopher Cummings, and Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent In Charge Laurie Bennett. The evidence was presented to the grand jury by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul J. Campana, who will handle the trial of the case.

The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.