January 24, 11

NEWS / Overland Park Woman Pleads Guilty to Covering up Daughters Sexual Abuse

KANSAS CITY, KS—An Overland Park woman has pleaded guilty to charges of trying to cover up her husband’s sexual abuse of her daughter, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said today.

Barbara Porter, 45, Overland Park, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of obstruction of justice. In November, Porter’s husband, Patrick Porter, pleaded guilty to one count of producing child pornography. In his plea, he admitted investigators found photographs he had taken of his minor stepdaughter in sexually explicit poses. When investigators served a search warrant in June 2010 at the Porters’ home, Porter’s stepdaughter was placed in protective custody with the state of Kansas. Authorities placed Porter’s stepdau! ghter with their maternal grandmother. Barbara Porter helped Patrick Porter remove his stepdaughter from protective custody. Patrick Porter then fled Kansas with his stepdaughter, causing an Amber alert to be issued. Patrick Porter and his stepdaughter later were found in California, where he was arrested.

Sentencing is set for May 3. Prosecutors are recommending Barbara Porter be sentenced to 60 months in federal prison.

Co-defendant Patrick Porter is set for sentencing Feb. 15.

Grissom commended the Overland Park Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Martin for their work on the case.

http://kansascity.fbi.gov/dojpressrel/pressrel11/kc012411.htm