Edward Sprouse Boyd, CSAM Possession, Georgia 2024

COLUMBUS, Ga. – A Columbus, Georgia, resident admitted to possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and faces a maximum of 20 years in prison resulting from an investigation by the GBI.

Edward Sprouse Boyd, Sr., 49, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography before U.S. District Judge Clay Land on October 24. Boyd faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison to be followed by a maximum lifetime of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. In addition, Boyd will have to register as a sex offender upon release from federal prison. Sentencing is scheduled for January 23, 2024. The defendant is not eligible for parole.

“Our office will hold accountable those who possess, distribute or create child sexual assault material, content which profoundly harms kids,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “I want to commend the GBI for their dedicated and ceaseless efforts to protect children and bring predators to justice.”

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.

The GBI launched an investigation after receiving a series of tip-offs from social media platform MeWe, which submitted multiple cybertips to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) concerning uploads of suspected child sexual assault material. The GBI determined that the user of the MeWe account was Boyd, and a search of his account uncovered CSAM material, including images of fully nude minor females around the age of puberty with their breasts and vaginas exposed, as well as child-centric sexually explicit chats with other users.

A search warrant was executed at Boyd’s home on August 20, 2020. Eighteen electronic devices were seized during the execution of the warrant, to include a cell phone belonging to Boyd. A forensic examination of his cell phone revealed that it contained 5,047 images and 1,157 videos categorized as child abuse material, plus 10,643 images and 1,013 videos categorized as child exploitative/age difficult.

The NCMEC identified 125 image files and 30 video files, spanning 82 series.

The case was investigated by the GBI, with assistance from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Assistant U.S. Attorney Crawford Seals is prosecuting the case for the Government.

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