By Michael Donoghue
Vermont News First
A 21-year-old woman from Burlington’s New North End is one of three people arrested as part of a cross-country criminal investigation into the production of child pornography, federal court records show.
Federal and state investigators arrested Haley Morgan of Farrington Parkway on charges of both using a pre-school-aged child to produce pornography and with transportation of child pornography, federal court records in Burlington reveal.
Morgan reportedly live-streamed sexually explicit conduct of a minor child, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua L. Banker.
Banker said in court papers that the weight of the evidence is great, and the felony charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years.
Federal Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle ordered Morgan jailed pending a hearing Monday in U.S. District Court in Burlington.
Burlington lawyer C. Jordan Handy has been retained to defend Morgan.
U.S. Homeland Security Investigations in South Burlington reported that two out-of-state cellphones were seized as part of the complex investigation, which has connections to the state of Washington and Iowa.
The Vermont portion of the investigation was sparked in part by an indictment in Washington State returned against two men on Oct. 15 on charges of conspiracy to produce child pornography. They also are charged with production, receipt, transportation and possession of child pornography, court records show.
Joseph Ralland Whipple, 34, who used the name Jennifer Whipple during online communications, and Charles Lon Seltz, 57, are both detained pending federal and state charges in Washington State, records show.
Bail is set at $1 million for each man.
Homeland Security Investigations in Vermont said in court papers that investigators retrieved intimate messages sent by Whipple asking for specific pornographic poses of a naked young child in Burlington. The evidence includes pictures and Facetime videos of a pre-school-aged girl naked in a bathtub, court records note.
A court affidavit noted Morgan reported that Whipple wanted to have sexual relations with the young child.
When federal and state investigators arrived at the New North End home to interview Morgan, she asked that her mother be present during questioning, HSI Special Agent Taylor Ward said in court records.
The defendant also confirmed that she had sent a package to Whipple that contained maple syrup, popcorn, soda and a t-shirt, court records note
Federal officials in Washington State said Whipple was arrested in Mason City, Iowa, on federal charges of producing, distributing, receiving, and possessing sexually explicit images of minor children in Tri-Cities, Washington.
Authorities executed a search warrant at Whipple’s residence in Iowa and investigators seized multiple electronic devices. The two men are former housemates.
Whipple made an initial court appearance in federal court in Iowa and was detained pending further proceedings in federal court in the Eastern District of Washington.
Whipple has also been charged in Benton County Superior Court with two counts of rape of a child with the aggravating circumstance of a pattern of sexual abuse and two counts of child molestation for his reported conduct with multiple minor children, records show.
Seltz was arrested in Richland, Wash. on state charges of rape of a child, records show. Investigators seized multiple electronic devices during a court-ordered search warrant at Seltz’s residence.
Seltz was subsequently charged in Benton County Superior Court with four counts of rape of child with the aggravating circumstance of a pattern of sexual abuse, federal prosecutors said.