Christopher Ryan Christian Counts, Possession of Child Pornography, West Virginia 2020

a 29-year-old resident of Charleston, West Virginia, was sentenced to 204 months in prison to be followed by lifetime supervised release for possession of child pornography.

According to the plea agreement and statements made in court, Christopher Ryan Christian Counts possessed 259 images and 14 videos of child pornography, many of which depicted prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

Some of the images and videos contained scenes depicting minors and infants engaged in sadistic or masochistic conduct. Counts has two prior sex offense convictions in Kanawha County Circuit Court involving young children.

Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa G. Johnston applauded the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Task Force Officer Michelle Shaffer coordinated the investigation and Counts’ arrest. Senior U.S. District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie M. White handled the prosecution.

These cases were prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.

Counts pleaded guilty to the charge in December 2020. He will serve 17 years in prison followed by lifetime supervised release. The case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.

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