CINCINNATI — James Denney, 30, of Cincinnati, is facing federal charges after a grand jury indicted him on two counts of promoting child pornography through the DarkWeb. The indictment, returned in the Southern District of Ohio, alleges Denney distributed links to illegal content and helped others access it.
Benjamin C. Glassman, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Steve Francis, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), confirmed the charges today. The case centers on actions taken by Denney in December, when he allegedly promoted a URL containing child pornography and aided another individual in accessing sexually explicit material involving minors.
Investigators say Denney provided an undercover agent with direct web links to an online board packed with dozens of child pornography chat rooms, video and image hosting sites, and even so-called ‘support communities’ for predators. The board also offered advice on evading law enforcement and maintaining online anonymity—tools used to shield criminal activity on the DarkWeb.
Each count carries serious time. Promoting a URL containing child pornography is punishable by five to 20 years in federal prison. Aiding access to such material carries a maximum penalty of 20 years behind bars. Conviction on either charge also exposes Denney to a lifetime of supervised release following incarceration.
U.S. Attorney Glassman praised HSI’s investigative work and credited Assistant U.S. Attorney Karl P. Kadon, who is prosecuting the case. Authorities emphasized that digital trails on the DarkWeb are not invisible—investigators used forensic and cyber intelligence to trace Denney’s actions back to his device and location.
An indictment is not a conviction. James Denney is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. The case now moves toward arraignment and pre-trial proceedings in federal court in Cincinnati.
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More