Ex-‘Glee’ star Mark Salling indicted on charges of possessing child porn

Former Glee star Mark Salling was charged Friday in a federal indictment with receiving and possessing child pornography on his laptop computer and a flash memory drive, the Justice Department in Los Angeles announced.

Salling, 33, best known as Noah "Puck" Puckerman on Glee, was named in a two-count indictment by a federal grand jury, charged with using the Internet on Dec. 29, 2015, to receive a still image and a video depicting child pornography and involving young girls.

The second count in the indictment charges Salling with possessing two videos, also involving young girls and depicting child pornography, on December 29, 2015.

Salling was arrested at the end of December after the LAPD's Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force served a search warrant on his home in a neighborhood in the San Gabriel Mountains foothills.

The laptop, a hard drive, and a USB flash drive seized from Salling’s home contained thousands of images and videos depicting child pornography, said investigators, who are still reviewing the material.

Salling was initially arrested by the LAPD and Homeland Security investigators on state charges and was released on bond. Once investigators realized the scope of the collection of child pornography, the matter was referred to federal authorities for further action, which resulted in today’s indictment.

“It doesn’t matter who you are or what you do, if you hurt a child you will be held accountable,” said Lt. Andrea Grossman, Commander of the LAPD Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. “These images are more than photographs, they are child abuse.”

The charge of receiving child pornography carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years. The charge of possessing child pornography also carries a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.

Salling is set to surrender to federal authorities and be arraigned on the indictment on June 3.

“Those who download and possess child pornography create a market that causes more children to be harmed,” said U.S. Attorney Eileen M. Decker. “Young victims are harmed every time an image is generated, every time it is distributed, and every time it is viewed.”

Salling, who's also a singer/songwriter, was a regular cast member on Glee until June 2013, when he shifted to a role as recurring guest star. Glee ended in March 2015.