MARSHALL COUNTY MAN SENTENCED ON CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CHARGES

BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA -HERMAN MAY, also known as “Herman Monster” and “Herman Munster”, 49, of Horton, Alabama, was sentenced today to 40 years imprisonment and will serve a lifetime of supervised release.

MAY was charged in a federal indictment with attempted production of child pornography and possession of child pornography in September 2005. He pled guilty to the charges in November 2005.

The sentence in this case is announced by Alice H. Martin, United States Attorney, Northern District of Alabama; Steve Marshall, District Attorney of Marshall County; Carmen S. Adams, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Major Ken Hallford, Alabama Bureau of Investigation.

“May is one of many pedophiles roaming the internet today. But his capture and prosecution is an immeasurable success because every sexual predator who is incarcerated represents the incalculable: one, two or maybe dozens of children that have been protected, who can continue to have a safe and innocent childhood,” said U.S. Attorney Alice H. Martin.

According to U.S. Attorney Martin, in June 2005, MAY attempted to broadcast via webcam live sexual abuse of a ten-year old girl over the internet. The intended recipient of the broadcast was a person MAY believed to be a 13 year old girl with whom MAY had been corresponding via the internet. MAY had used the screen names of Herman Monster and Herman Munster in his internet communications. MAY had solicited the 13 -year old girl for sex. During a June 2005 search of MAY’S residence investigators located the 10- year old girl in the process of being sexually abused by MAY. A search of MAY’s computer discovered images of child pornography, including images of the10-year-old girl.

“This case will be representative of the forces pulled together to stop crimes such as this. Earlier this month we launched Project Safe Childhood, a major Department endeavor where U.S. Attorneys will work together with local Department-funded Internet Crimes Against Children task forces, and all their other federal, state, and local partners, in unprecedented cooperative efforts to attack online pedophiles and pornographers.
states U.S. Attorney Alice H. Martin.

United States District Judge Sharon Lovelace Blackburn sentenced MAY to the maximum penalty of 40 years in prison, and ordered that be placed under supervision of the court for the rest of his life following the completion of his prison term.

“Child pornography is a very disturbing crime,” states Carmen S. Adams, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation. “We are fully committed to fully investigate and tirelessly track down all who commit, attempt to commit or harm the children of our communities.”

This case was investigated by law enforcement officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Alabama Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the Marshall County District Attorney’s Office.

Assistant United States Attorney James E. Phillips prosecuted this case on behalf of the U.S. Government.