Former Columbia Teacher Indicted for Attempted Production, Distribution, and Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material

COLUMBIA, S.C. - A federal grand jury in Columbia returned a nine-count indictment, presented by the U.S. Attorney's Office, charging Jonathan Andrew Monk, 44, of Columbia, for attempted production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material.

Monk faces a maximum penalty of 30 years' imprisonment and a mandatory minimum of 15 years' imprisonment.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, 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 to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.

The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elle E. Klein is prosecuting the case.

All charges in the indictment are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. If you have any information to report to law enforcement, please contact the FBI at tips.fbi.gov or (803) 551-4200.

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* The term "child pornography" is currently used in federal statutes and is defined as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a person less than 18 years old. While this phrase still appears in federal law, "child sexual abuse material" is preferred, as it better reflects the abuse that is depicted in the images and videos and the resulting trauma to the child.