A Highland Springs man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for distributing child pornography. Deric Wallace Peacock, 39, was sentenced on April 12, 2022, by U.S. District Judge Gibney.
According to court documents, Peacock used Wickr, an encrypted messaging service, to distribute child pornography using his “vapastor” user account. At the time of the distribution, he was on probation for two prior state court convictions for procuring sex acts by computer of an individual believed to be under the age of 15.
Peacock’s prior offenses date back to 2014, when he was a youth pastor at South Hopewell Church of God. The church no longer exists.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carla Jordan-Detamore prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse.
Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to 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.
If you suspect someone is a victim of online sexual exploitation, you can report it by calling 1-800-843-5678 or submitting a report at report.cybertip.org. To request an UnMasked event at your school or organization, please contact EDVA’s Community Outreach Coordinator at USAVAE-UnMasked@usdoj.gov.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:22-cr-109.
Related Federal Cases
- William Rhodes, Child Pornography Distribution, Virginia 2023 · Tennessee
- Alexander C. Sullivan, Child Pornography Possession, Virginia 2024 · Maryland
- Jace Jeanes, Child Pornography Distribution, California 2024 · California
- Joseph Downing Barnes Jr., Child Porn Distribution, Virginia 2023 · Virginia
- LaMarcus Thomas, Child Pornography Production, Virginia 2024 · Alabama
Key Facts
- State: Virginia
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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