Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury indicted William H. Steinhaus IV, age 33, of Brunswick, Maryland, Oct. 15 for sexual exploitation of a child and distributing child pornography.
The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Frederick County Sheriff Charles A. “Chuck” Jenkins; Frederick County State’s Attorney J. Charles Smith; and Chief Cathy L. Lanier of the Metropolitan Police Department.
According to the six count indictment, between December 8 and 9, 2014, Steinhaus had a number of sexually explicit conversations on Kik, an instant messaging application, with other Kik users regarding their shared sexual interest in prepubescent children. Steinhaus took pictures using his iPhone or iPad of a two year old girl engaged in sexually explicit conduct and distributed them to approximately 25 other Kik users.
The indictment alleges that during those two days, Steinhaus and another Kik user exchanged approximately 290 messages. They discussed how Steinhaus could best sexually abuse the toddler. Steinhaus sent the user images of the child and Steinhaus engaged in sexually explicit conduct; and pictures of a couch, stating “That’s where tw[sic] assault will happen.”
Also on December 8, 2014, Steinhaus and a second Kik user allegedly exchanged approximately 293 messages. Steinhaus sent pictures of the child and Steinhaus engaged in sexually explicit conduct; and pictures of a couch, stating “That’s where the assault is going to happen.”
According to the indictment, between December 8 and 9, 2014, Steinhaus and a third Kik user exchanged approximately 419 messages. Steinhaus sent approximately 30 pictures he had taken of the toddler, several of which contained images of the child and Steinhaus engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Steinhaus is presently in state custody following his arrest on December 9, 2014 on related charges filed in Frederick County Circuit.
Steinhaus faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum of 30 years in prison on each of two counts for sexual exploitation of a child; and a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum of 20 years in prison on each of four counts for distributing child pornography. An initial appearance is expected to be scheduled for October 30, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. in U.S. District Court in Baltimore.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.