Springfield Man Charged With Child Porn and Sex Tourism

ALEXANDRIA, VA — A Springfield man is facing federal charges involving child pornography and child sex tourism in the Philippines, the U.S. Justice Department announced Thursday.

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Prosecutors allege that starting in May 2013, Carl Sara, 63, used the internet to obtain child pornography from sellers in the Philippines, and that he "traveled to the Philippines on one occasion to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor," according to a Justice Department statement.

A federal grand jury on Thursday indicted Sara on one count each of attempted sex trafficking of children, attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sex, traveling with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with minors, possession of child pornography and transportation of child pornography across state lines, the Justice Department said.

"The charges and allegations contained in an indictment are merely accusations," the statement added. "The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law."

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a Justice Department program to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. The program "marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet," the department said in the statement.

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