The United States Attorney's Office

Western District of Michigan

Press Release

Contact:
PAUL D. LOCHNER
ASSISTANT U.S. ATTORNEY
PHONE: (906) 226-2500

February 15, 2008

STURGIS MAN SENTENCED TO 17 YEARS FOR PRODUCING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2008 - GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. - Danny Ronald Lego, 42, of Sturgis, Michigan, was sentenced to 17 years' imprisonment for producing images of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, U.S. Attorney Charles R. Gross announced today. The defendant also agreed to forfeit to the government his photographic and computer equipment. Lego pled guilty on September 21, 2007, to a charge of producing images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The Honorable Robert Holmes Bell, Chief U.S. District Judge, presided over the February 14th sentencing. Following his release from prison, Lego will serve 10 years on supervised release. Judge Bell admonished Lego and described his behavior as "disgusting" and "exploiting," and expressed his desire to send a strong message of deterrence to anyone else who might consider producing child pornography.

On January 28, 2006, a child complained to the Sturgis Police Department that Lego had taken photographs of her that made her uncomfortable. Lego had her dressed in a thong bikini and in a coat with no clothing underneath. The Sturgis Police executed a search warrant for the Lego residence and his photography studio. The authorities seized computers, cameras and other digital media, including CDs and floppy disks. Forensic examination of the evidence discovered multiple images of child pornography, including pornographic images of the child and her younger sister. The children knew Lego and were former neighbors. The photographs were taken in July 2005 when the children were seven and ten years old. Lego was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 27, 2007. He has been held in custody since his arrest on April 12, 2007.

This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. The U.S. Attorney's Office, county prosecutor's offices, Internet Crimes Against Children task force (ICAC), federal, state, and local law enforcement are working closely together to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children. The partners in Project Safe Childhood work to educate local communities about the dangers of online child exploitation, and to teach children how to protect themselves. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit the following web site: www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

The investigation of this matter was conducted by the FBI and the Sturgis Police Department with the assistance of the Michigan State Police and the St. Joseph County Prosecutor's Office. Prosecution of this case is assigned to Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Mekaru.