Man who filmed young boys indicted

A Kaufman County man who filmed young boys and claimed to be a film director for a film production company has been indicted for enticing a minor and child pornography charges. 

The U.S. Attorney’s Office is requesting the public’s assistance to identify any other children who Morris has victimized.  Morris, who according to public sources claimed to be a film director for “Just Film It Productions,” is known to have set up trips for the purpose of photo and/or film shoots in the Northern District of Texas and Las Vegas, Nevada.  Anyone who may have been victimized or who has additional information is asked to contact the FBI or the U.S. Attorney’s Office. 

DALLAS — Kevin Scott Morris, 44, of Forney, Texas, has been indicted on one count of enticement of a minor, one count of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas,

The indictment in the case alleges that in May 2012, Morris knowingly persuaded, induced and enticed John Doe #1, a boy approximately 13 years old, to engage in sexually explicit conduct, which Morris filmed.  It further alleges that in October 2016, Morris possessed a digital videotape that depicted John Doe #2, a boy approximately 12 years old.  In the video, an adult male directs the boy to “start saying nasty stuff” to “lay down,” and to take off his underwear, and depicts the child lying on the floor with his genitals exposed.

The investigation began when the Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office was contacted by a detective in Orange County, California.  That detective advised that a minor male victim made an outcry that Morris sexually assaulted him in 2012, when the victim was approximately 13 years old.

According to documents filed in the case, John Doe #1 flew to Dallas for photography and videography sessions with Morris.  While in Dallas, Morris took photos of, and filmed, John Doe #1 and engaged in sexually explicit activity with him.  Morris also was present in a bathroom while John Doe #1 undressed and showered.  Law enforcement is aware of allegations of Morris traveling to Las Vegas, Nevada with at least one other boy for what Morris assured the boy’s family were legitimate acting or modeling purposes.      

An indictment is an accusation by a grand jury and a defendant is entitled to the presumption of innocence unless proven guilty.  If convicted, however, the statutory penalty for the enticement count is not less than 10 years and up to life in federal prison; for the production count is not less than 15 years or more than 30 years in federal prison; and for the possession count is up to 10 years in federal prison.  Each count of conviction also carries a maximum fine of $250,000 and up to a lifetime of supervised release.

Morris has been in federal custody since his arrest in October 2016 on a related federal criminal complaint.  A trial date of June 5, 2017, before U.S. District Judge Ed Kinkeade has been set.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children.  Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC marshals federal, state, tribal and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.  Since FY 2011, the Department of Justice has filed 20,260 PSC cases against 19,111 defendants.  These cases include prosecutions of child sex trafficking; sexual abuse of a minor or ward; child pornography offenses; obscene visual representation of the sexual abuse of children; selling or buying of children; and many more statutes.  To learn more about PSC’s work, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/psc. 

The Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI are investigating the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie L. Hoxie is in charge of the prosecution. 

Anyone who, or whose child, may have been victimized in this case is asked to call Lisa Shedden at the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 1-800-496-8341.  Anyone who has additional information is asked to contact the FBI at 972-559-5000, the Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office at 972-932-9631, or Kaufman County Crime Stoppers at 877-TIPSKCC (847-7522).