East Texas man arrested for producing, distributing child pornography

BEAUMONT, Texas — An east Texas man was arrested Friday on various child pornography charges, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales, Eastern District of Texas.

This investigation is being conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Port Neches Police Department, Beaumont Police Department, and the Orange County Sheriff's Office.

Christopher Dale Harrison, 32, from Port Neches, Texas, was arrested April 19 following a federal criminal complaint charging him with possessing, distributing, receiving, and producing child pornography.  Harrison appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Keith F. Giblin April 22.

If convicted, Harrison faces up to 30 years in federal prison for the production charges, and up to 10 years each for the other related charges.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Englade, Eastern District of Texas, prosecuted the case.

It is important to note that an arrest, indictment, or complaint should not be considered as evidence of guilt and that all persons charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This investigation was part of Operation Predator, a nationwide HSI initiative to protect children from sexual predators, including those who travel overseas for sex with minors, Internet child pornographers, criminal alien sex offenders and child sex traffickers. HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at 1-866-347-2423 or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators.

Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-843-5678.

HSI is a founding member and current chair of the Virtual Global Taskforce, an international alliance of law enforcement agencies and private industry sector partners working together to prevent and deter online child sexual abuse.