BATON ROUGE, La. – A Federal grand jury indicted Christopher Young this week, the brother of former Jefferson Parish President John Young, on charges of possessing and distributing child pornography.
Young is a prominent attorney and lobbyist who lives in Baton Rouge, but has represented dozens of French Quarter establishments. A grand jury in the US District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana handed up the two-count indictment May 12.
The charges stem from a video showing prepubescent boys engaging in bestiality that Young allegedly shared with 38 different people.
"From 2013 through 2015, Young allegedly distributed the child pornography videos to approximately 38 different individuals, on 33 separate occasions, through his smart phones,” the release states.
According to the New Orleans Advocate, Chris Young represented the French Quarter Business League in 2014 during the passing of a controversial bill banning smoking in city bars and casinos. Young said the ban would amount to “tampering with New Orleans’ culture.”
Young's attorneys sent a statement Sunday, saying Young thought the video was a joke.
"Chris Young has never possessed or distributed child pornography," said the statement. "Regrettably, the government has chosen to prosecute him for forwarding an inappropriate video that was sent in jest. Mr. Young will respond to these charges in court at the appropriate time."