Man Arraigned on Complaint Charging him with Possession of Child Pornography
United States Attorney Karen P. Hewitt announced the arraignment and unsealing today of a criminal complaint charging William Joseph Hazlitt with possession of child pornography. Mr. Hazlitt was arrested by Federal Bureau of Investigation agents, assisted by San Diego County Sheriff's deputies, on Wednesday, September 10, 2008, at approximately 8:30 a.m., in Ramona, California. Mr. Hazlitt was arrested without incident.
According to the complaint, on or about June 4, 2008, William Joseph Hazlitt possessed at least one file on his computer that contained images of minors, as young as nine years old, engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Alessandra P. Serano, who is prosecuting the case, Hazlitt was arraigned on the complaint earlier today before United States Magistrate Judge Louisa S. Porter and is in federal custody. Hazlitt’s next appearance is scheduled for Friday, September 12, 2008 at 2:30 p.m., before Magistrate Judge Porter for a detention hearing.
The investigation was assisted by the San Diego Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, whose members include the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the San Diego Police Department, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, the Chula Vista Police Department, the United States Attorney’s Office, the San Diego District Attorney’s Office, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the United States Marshals Service, the Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the El Cajon Police Department.
This case is being brought as part of the Department of Justice Project Safe Childhood (PSC) and the FBI's Innocent Images National Initiative (IINI). Both are nationwide initiatives designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. For more information about PSC, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov , and for additional information on IINI, please visit www.fbi.gov
DEFENDANT Case Number: 08MJ2735
WILLIAM JOSEPH HAZLITT
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Title 18, United States Code, Section and 2252(a)(4)(B) (Possession of Child Pornography)
Maximum Penalties: 10 years’ incarceration, $250,000 fine, a minimum of 5 years and up to a lifetime of
supervised release and registration as a sex offender.
AGENCY
Federal Bureau of Investigation
A complaint is not evidence that the defendant committed the crime charged. The defendant is presumed innocent until the United States meets its burden in court of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
