Ferrelview man part of nationwide child porn ring

A Ferrelview man pleaded guilty in federal court last week to using four young victims to produce child pornography as part of a nationwide child pornography ring. Raymond M. Appling, 31, of Ferrelview, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner to four counts of producing or attempting to produce child pornography. Under the terms of the plea agreement, Appling will be sentenced to 40 years in federal prison without parole. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. By pleading guilty, Appling admitted that he took pornographic photos and video of four child victims, which he shared with others. According to court documents, FBI agents had identified two suspects in Colorado and in San Diego, Calif., that linked Appling to the child pornography ring. Detectives with the Kansas City Police Department executed a search warrant at Appling’s residence on Feb. 8, 2012, and seized computers, computer media and a camera. In an interview with the detectives, Appling identified a third member of the child pornography ring located in Pennsylvania. The other members of the child pornography ring are being prosecuted in those jurisdictions. Appling admitted that he took a child victim, identified as Jane Doe No. 1, to visit the San Diego suspect, whom he knew had a sexual attraction to minors. Appling also took pornographic photos of Jane Doe No. 1 when she was eight years old.