ATLANTA — A popular motocross instructor and mentor has been indicted on several child exploitation charges, the Department of Justice announced Thursday.
Ryan Meyung often traveled the country building motocross tracks and mentoring young athletes, DOJ investigators said. He was known to frequent Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Tennessee.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Buchanan in the Northern District of Georgia prosecuted the case.
"Meyung allegedly produced, transported and possessed child pornography while working with children as a motocross coach," Buchanan said in a prepared statement.
Buchanan said the 30-year-old allegedly engaged six different minors in sexually explicit conduct to produce images of child sex abuse. Investigators said the motocross instructor also transported and possessed visual images of child sex abuse between 2019 and 2021.
Meyung was arrested on state charges in December 2021 and has remained in law enforcement custody, the DOJ said.
He was indicted on six counts of producing child pornography, one count of transporting child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography. Prosecutors clarified he is presumed innocent of the charges until a trial deems otherwise.
"Victimizing children is heinous and horrific. With the help of our law enforcement partners, we will relentlessly pursue these types of sexual predators," Buchanan said.
Investigators in Tennessee are also looking to see if Meyung victimized any children in the state.
Prosecutors believed more children could have been affected by his actions. Those who may have information related to the case or could be a victim of Meyung can call 866-347-2423 or report their information to https://www.ice.gov/tipline.
