(Memphis) A picture featuring a child in a sex act with an adult has been widely distributed in Memphis via the Internet. News Channel 3 also received this photo by email and alerted police, who immediately began investigating.
Memphis Police Director Toney Armstrong told News Channel 3 the department is now working with the FBI, because possession and distribution of child pornography are federal crimes.
Their top priority is finding the identity of the child, and making sure the child is safe. They are also looking for the adults involved. Authorities are not sure where the photo was taken. The child looks to be about 2 or 3 years old.
“I’ve seen some pretty sick things, you know, during my career,” Armstrong said. “And never in my wildest dreams would you ever think that someone would stoop to that level, to do something like that to a 2-year-old child.”
If you receive this picture, contact police, especially if you recognize the child or adult involved. Then, delete the photo.
Armstrong said, “It’s illegal to possess those types of pictures, it’s illegal to disseminate them, to send them, to share them with other people. You could and can possibly be investigated on the federal level and prosecuted on the federal level.”
Anyone who has posted the picture online, or shared it in any way, could be charged by authorities.