Ava man charged in Federal Indictment

An Ava man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for producing child pornography after photos of the child victim’s sexual assault were discovered hidden behind a wall of his former residence while it was being torn down. 66 Year old Harold Lloyd Blair, Jr. was charged in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield with one count of using a minor to produce child pornography. The federal indictment alleges that Blair used a minor to produce child pornography from January 1st, 2012, to December 31st, 2013.

The investigation began on December 2nd, 2022, when workers employed by Douglas County, discovered a filing cabinet that contained images of child pornography in a house they were tearing down. Workers using heavy equipment tore into a wall and found the filing cabinet, then contacted the Douglas County, Sheriff’s Department. Investigators learned that Blair had sold the house to the county. State charges were originally filed against Blair in Douglas County but will be dismissed by the Douglas County Prosecuting Attorney in lieu of the federal indictment.