COLUMBUS – Timothy L. Lantz, age 56, formerly of Columbus, has been taken into custody in the Philippines after an international search for him that began in January, 2007.

Gregory G. Lockhart, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, James M. Wahlrab, United States Marshal for the Southern District of Ohio, and Keith L. Bennett, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Cincinnati Field Division, announced Lantz’s arrest today.

Lantz fled Columbus in January, 2007 a few days after FBI agents searched his west Columbus apartment and seized multiple computers, hard drives and other media. Forensic analysis uncovered more than 3,000 images of child pornography on the computer and storage media.

A federal grand jury indicted Lantz in January, 2008. The ten-count indictment charges him with advertising child pornography and attempting to induce a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct, as well as possession and transportation of child pornography and failure to register as a sex offender as required by the Sexual Offender Registration and Notification Act which is part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act passed by Congress in 2006.

Because of his prior record as a convicted sex offender, Lantz, if convicted, faces a minimum 35-year sentence on the advertising and inducement charges and the possibility of life imprisonment.

“Child pornography has become an international crime,” Lockhart said. “International cooperation is the only way to fight it effectively.”

“The Marshals Service tracked Lantz to the Philippines by sharing information between U.S. and foreign law enforcement agencies,” Wahlrab said. “These information-sharing protocols and the relationships we have with law enforcement around the world are crucial to our doing our jobs successfully.”

“The FBI stands ready to pursue those who would victimize children to the four corners of the globe,” Bennett said. “The apprehension of Mr. Lantz in the Philippines and his return to the United States demonstrates the cooperation of law enforcement around the world to accomplish this purpose.” Philippine Immigration and Philippine National Police arrested Lantz in Kolambugan, Lanao Del Norte, Philippines without incident on June 20 and turned him over to the U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service in Manila.

Deputy Marshals escorted Lantz back to the United States where he received a hearing before a federal magistrate in San Francisco yesterday. Lantz will be transported back to Columbus to face the federal charges.

Lockhart commended the joint investigation by deputy U.S. Marshals, FBI agents, the Diplomatic Security Services and Embassy staff in Manila, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Deborah A. Solove, who is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant should be presumed innocent until and unless convicted in court.

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