KC Reporter

A Columbia, Mo., man, Ryan Edward Hine, 27, has been indicted by a federal grand jury for his involvement in producing and distributing child pornography involving six child victims. The indictment, returned in Jefferson City, Mo., brings forth a seven-count superseding indictment against Hine, replacing the original charges from March 7, 2023, with additional counts.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the case, Hine engaged in disturbing activities involving minors, including traveling to Mississippi to engage in sexual acts with a 15-year-old victim, which he recorded to produce videos of child sexual abuse. Hine then went on to advertise this material on chat services, posing as the victim to entice buyers.

Furthermore, Hine allegedly recruited a second minor female victim by sending explicit videos and paying for child pornography videos produced by her and a minor male victim. These videos were then sold and distributed to others, perpetuating the cycle of exploitation.

The charges against Hine include attempting to entice a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity to produce child pornography, using minors to produce child pornography, advertising child pornography, and receiving child pornography. However, it is crucial to note that these charges are accusations and not evidence of guilt, as the case will be presented to a federal trial jury for a verdict.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley S. Turner is handling the prosecution of this case, which was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. The case is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative by the Department of Justice aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse by identifying, apprehending, and prosecuting individuals involved in such crimes.

The seriousness of the charges and the nature of the allegations highlight the importance of initiatives like Project Safe Childhood in protecting children from exploitation and ensuring that perpetrators are brought to justice.