A federal grand jury in Kansas City, Kan., on Thursday returned indictments against four Kansas men – including one from Lawrence – accused of possessing child pornography.

The four cases were not related except that the U.S. Department of Justice is targeting producers and consumers of child pornography for prosecution, said U.S. Attorney Eric Melgren. Project Safe Childhood aims to coordinate federal, state and local resources to protect children from sexual predators.

“Children whose photographs are being distributed over the Internet are the victims of sexual abuse,” Melgren said. “Trading in images of the sexual abuse of children is a crime, not a private matter.”

In 2007, federal prosecutors in Kansas filed about three cases a month under Project Safe Childhood (a total of 38 cases for the year). In the first quarter of 2008, they filed 12 cases.

A 22-year-old Lawrence man is charged with one count of receiving child pornography via the Internet and one count of possession of child pornography. According to the complaint, he paid $79.99 for a membership allowing him access to child pornography. The crimes are alleged to have occurred Dec. 18, 2006, and Aug. 17, 2007, in Lawrence. If convicted, he faces between five and 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the charge of receiving child pornography; and up to 10 years and a $250,000 fine on the possession charge.

Three other men – a 44-year-old from Leavenworth, a 36-year-old from Atchison, and a 29-year-old from Gardner – face similar charges.

The Journal-World does not typically name sex crime suspects unless there is a conviction.

Jim Cross of the U.S. attorney’s office, said federal authorities have stepped up prosecution of companies that process payments made for pornography.