CELEBRATION – A local actor and creative consultant, who has worked for the major theme parks in Central Florida, has been indicted by a grand jury on 18 counts of child pornography.
John David Baker, 29, of Celebration, was arrested on Friday by the U.S. Marshall’s Office and charged with the production, transportation and possession of child pornography, the office of U.S. Attorney Robert E. O’Neill announced. This arrest followed an investigation by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security.
Baker, a citizen of the United Kingdom, operates JB Creative, which its Web site bills as “a full service production company and creative consultancy, offering creative services for theatrical and corporate entertainment, advertising, print photography, film, television and video production.”
Baker trained in acting and directing at the University of East London and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, and noted on his Facebook page that past clients have included Universal Orlando, Walt Disney World, and Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center, among others.
Baker also worked for Freeline Productions in April 2009, when the company produced the play “Hooked” at the Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival. Baker did photography for the play and designed the posters and flyers.
The case, which is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney D. Rodney Brown, followed investigations by the Jacksonville, Orange County and Osceola County Sheriff’s Offices, and by the Florida Attorney General’s Office’s former Child Predator Cybercrime Unit.
Baker had his initial appearance and arraignment in federal court in Orlando on Friday and is now being held in the custody of the United States. He is facing between 15 and 30 years in federal prison on the production counts of the indictment.
The 15 transportation counts could mean a sentence of five to 20 years in federal prison, while on the possession count, Baker could face a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office noted that the case was done in part through the efforts of Project Safe Childhood. It’s a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice, aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse.
Project Safe Childhood provides resources to federal, state and local law enforcement officials to find, arrest and prosecute people who sexually exploit children. More information on the initiative, including its Internet safety education program, can be found at www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
On his Facebook page, Baker listed himself as “an actor, writer, director and creative consultant who has worked extensively in film, television, theatre, corporate entertainment, advertising and production. As a writer, John has written several plays, short stories and screenplays, which have been brought to fruition and full scale productions both in his native United Kingdom and in the United States.”

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