Blake Forest Watson, Receiving Child Pornography, North Carolina 2022

A 65-year-old man from North Carolina has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for receiving child pornography.

Blake Forest Watson, of Nebo, North Carolina, was sentenced to 180 months in prison for receiving child pornography, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

Watson was previously convicted of child pornography in the Western District of Tennessee and was sentenced to 96 months in prison and five years of supervised release. A condition of Watson’s supervised release involved warrantless searches.

On July 22, 2021, federal probation officers conducted a warrantless search at Watson’s residence. Court records show that law enforcement located in the residence an unapproved wireless tablet, the background of which was an image of child pornography depicting a prepubescent minor female. Law enforcement also retrieved a laptop from the residence.

A forensic analysis of the electronic devices revealed that Watson had been using them to receive images and videos of child pornography, some of which depicted minors engaging in sadistic and masochistic conduct. In total, Watson possessed in excess of 3,000 images depicting child pornography.

In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked HSI and the U.S. Probation Office for their investigation of the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Watson will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

Blake Forest Watson, Crime: Receiving Child Pornography, State: North Carolina, Year: 2022

Exact criminal charges: Receiving Child Pornography

City and state: Asheville, North Carolina

Exact date with month/day/year: January 31, 2022

Sentence or outcome: 180 months in prison, lifetime under court supervision, and registration as a sex offender.

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