Eastern District of Oklahoma

FOR RELEASE:   October 16, 2007
SUBJECT:           POOLE, John Charles

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - Sheldon J. Sperling, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, announced today that DARRIN TED GILBERT, age 38, of Sulphur, Oklahoma, plead guilty to Production of Child Pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2251(a).

"The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Sulphur Police Department. The defendant used a minor child to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct, using materials that were mailed, shipped or transported in interstate commerce. The offense took place during a period between December 1, 2006 and May 1, 2007 in Murray County," stated U.S. Attorney Sheldon J. Sperling.

"GILBERT photographed his nine year old former step-daughter in various sexually explicit poses. The child was completely nude and GILBERT had the child display her genital area for the photographs. GILBERT was indicted in federal court for production of child pornography as part of the United States Department of Justice Project Safe Childhood initiative to crack down on those who exploit and victimize children by means of the internet or other electronic media. GILBERT admitted he used a digital camera which had been manufactured outside the State of Oklahoma to produce the pornographic images," explained U.S. Attorney Sperling.

"The Honorable Kimberly E. West, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the defendant's guilty plea and ordered the completion of a presentence report. Sentencing will be scheduled following its completion. The defendant remains in the custody of the United States Marshal Service."

"The statutory range of punishment is not less than 15 years nor more than 30 years imprisonment and/or up to $250,000.00 in fines," stated U.S. Attorney Sperling.

"As a parent I would hope that most people would, as a matter of basic decency, not so despicably offend little children," U.S. Attorney Sperling noted. "As a prosecutor, I hope the serious punishment - a long nonparolable prison term - would give some pause even to those so depraved."

"Assistant United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson represented the government."