CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A Charleston man has pleaded guilty to a heinous crime that has left a trail of suffering in its wake. Cory Thomas, 33, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to possession of prepubescent child pornography.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 7, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Thomas’ residence in Charleston and seized his cell phone and other electronic devices. An analysis of the electronic devices revealed numerous digital image and video files of child pornography.
Thomas is scheduled to be sentenced on September 12, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least five years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Thomas must also register as a sex offender.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander A. Redmon is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-43.
The gruesome reality of child pornography is a nightmare that many of us dare not face, but it exists, and it must be confronted. The guilty plea of Cory Thomas is a step in the right direction, but it is only a small part of the larger struggle against this evil.
In the coming months, the Grimy Times will continue to shine a light on this dark issue and bring the perpetrators to justice. We urge all victims of child pornography to come forward and seek help, and we remind the public that there are resources available to prevent and combat this crime.
Related Federal Cases
- Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child Pornography · West Virginia
- John Leslie Hess Sentenced for Child Porn Possession · West Virginia
- Scott Allen Forloine II Pleads Guilty to Child Porn Possession · West Virginia
- Charles William Lourett Pleads Guilty to Receiving Child Pornography · West Virginia
- Jackson County Man Jailed for Child Pornography Crime · West Virginia
Key Facts
- State: West Virginia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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