Mono County Sex Offender Arraigned in Federal Court

United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner

Eastern District of California

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: LAUREN HORWOOD
Wednesday, April 24, 2013 PHONE: 916-554-2706
www.justice.gov/usao/cae usacae.edcapress@usdoj.gov

Docket #: 2:13-cr-139-MCE

MONO COUNTY SEX OFFENDER ARRAIGNED IN FEDERAL COURT

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Gene Wayne Harris, 41, of Mammoth Lakes, was arraigned in
federal court today on a grand jury indictment that charged him with attempted production
of child pornography and attempted enticement of a minor, United States Attorney
Benjamin B. Wagner announced.

According to the indictment and statements made in court, between March 1, 2013,
and March 8, 2013, while Harris communicated with a person he believed to be a 14-yearold
girl, he attempted to produce child pornography, and attempted to entice a minor to
engage in prohibited sexual conduct. He is a registered sex offender.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation
and the Mono County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant United States Attorney Kyle Reardon
is prosecuting the case.

Because Harris has a prior conviction for sexual battery in violation of California law,
if Harris is convicted of the production charge in the indictment, he faces a statutory penalty
of 25 to 50 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and a lifetime period of supervised release. If
convicted of the enticement charge, he faces 10 years to life in prison, a fine of $250,000,
and a lifetime period of supervised release. Any sentence, however, would be determined at
the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the
Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

The charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and
unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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