RASCOE
By William Moore
Daily Journal
JACKSON – An investigation by the Attorney General’s office resulted in charges against a Michigan woman and a Mississippi prisoner.
Stephanie Rascoe, 44, of Ecorse, Michigan, and David Rhyne, 33, a prisoner at the East Mississippi Correctional Facility in Meridian, were charged Wednesday with the production and distribution of child pornography for allegedly sharing illegal images via text message.
Rascoe was visiting Mississippi when she was arrested and booked into the Lee County jail. Rhyne is currently serving time for sexual battery and was served in prison with the current federal warrant. Rhyne also faces a charge of possession of child pornography.
Investigators in Michigan alerted Mississippi officials about illegal images of a 2-year-old child who was occasionally left in Rascoe’s care. The Attorney General’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force continued the investigation and got the federal arrest warrants for Rascoe and Rhyne.
If convicted, the defendants face up to 20 years on production charges and 15 years on the distribution charges. Rhyne faces up to 15 years on the possession charge and an additional 10 years for being a convicted felon. As with all cases, the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
