Former Glee star Mark Salling charged with child porn offences
The 33-year-old actor was charged on Friday with two counts, said the US Attorney’s Office.
Federal officials said he has agreed to surrender to authorities next Friday, at which time he is also expected to appear in a federal court.
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Hide AdSalling was arrested at his home in Shadow Hills, Los Angeles, last December, after the city’s police and federal agents seized a laptop, hard drive and flash drive they allege contained images and videos depicting child pornography.
He was charged with one count of using the internet to obtain a pornographic still image and video of young girls, and a second count of possessing two other child porn videos that also featured young girls.
If convicted, he could face as much as 20 years in prison on each of the charges.
“Those who download and possess child pornography create a market that causes more children to be harmed,” US attorney Eileen Decker said in a statement announcing the charges.
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Hide Ad“Young victims are harmed every time an image is generated, every time it is distributed and every time it is viewed.”
Although best known for his long-running role on Glee, which aired from 2009 to 2015, Salling is also a musician. He released his debut album, Pipe Dreams, in 2010.
He shared a Screen Actors Guild award with the Glee cast in 2010 when the show was honoured for outstanding TV comedy ensemble.
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