Independence man accused of producing child porn

An Independence man was indicted in federal court for allegedly producing child pornography after authorities learned an underage child unrelated to the man was living with him.

Travis Howard White, 24, was charged Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Kansas City. The complaint was unsealed and made public Thursday after White’s arrest and initial court appearance. He remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing.

Federal prosecutors accuse White of using a 13-year-old victim to produce child pornography between May 14 and June 2, 2016.

According to an affidavit, the victim, identified in court documents as Minor Victim 1, told investigators that she met White online in January 2016, when she was 13 years old and living in Kansas. They began “sexting” and exchanging sexually explicit nude photographs, she said.

When she and her mother moved to Kansas City in September of last year, they stayed at a hotel for a few days before her mother returned to Kansas and left her with White.

The victim was placed in emergency police protective custody March 1.

White told investigators he engaged in sexual activity with the victim at numerous locations in the metro area, the affidavit says. He allegedly engaged in sexual discussions with 50 to 100 other females, a number of whom were underage, via Facebook and other means, the affidavit says.

Investigators identified about a dozen underage females with whom White communicated online.

This story was originally published May 11, 2017 at 8:27 PM with the headline "Independence man accused of producing child porn."