Actor Mark Salling was charged on Friday with receiving and possessing child pornography after an investigation was conducted by the United States Attorney’s Office.
Investigators seized a laptop, hard drive and USB flash drive from Salling’s home following his arrest on December 29, 2015. They claim that the devices contained thousands of photos and videos depicting child pornography.
The indictment claims that Salling had at least one photo and video of a “prepubescent minor and a minor who had not attained 12 years of age.” The title of one of the videos suggests that the child was 5-years-old.
Lt. Andrea Grossman, commander of the LAPD Internet Crimes Against Children task force, told The Hollywood Reporter that the case had been transferred to federal authorities on Thursday.
U.S. Attorney Eileen M. Decker’s office issued a press release about the indictment on Friday. The press release stresses that the indictment is an allegation that Salling committed the crime, but “every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.”
If Salling is convicted, he will face a mandatory minimum of five years in federal prison for the charge of receiving child pornography. The charge carries a statutory maximum of 20 years.
“It doesn’t matter who you are or what you do, if you hurt a child, you will be held accountable,” Lt. Grossman said in the press release. “These images are more than photographs, they are child abuse.”
Salling is expected to surrender to federal authority and be arraigned on June 3.
