Erwin, Tennessee resident Justin Claude Richardson, 29, was sentenced to 160 months in federal prison on November 18, 2021, for receipt of child pornography—a grim tally for a crime that federal prosecutors called both predatory and deliberate. U.S. District Judge R. Leon Jordan handed down the sentence in Greeneville, underscoring the severity of digital crimes that exploit the most vulnerable. Upon release, Richardson will face 20 years of supervised release, monitored by U.S. Probation, and must register as a sex offender in Tennessee.
Richardson pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 2252A(a)(2)(A) and (b)(1), as part of a binding plea agreement. The charge stems from a traffic stop in Unicoi County on May 13, 2019, initially prompted by suspicion of a kidnapping. While that investigation took a different turn, law enforcement seized Richardson’s cellphone—and found a digital horror: approximately 2,364 images of child pornography, including depictions of infants, bestiality, and sadomasochistic acts.
Forensic analysis of the device revealed disturbing patterns: hundreds of web searches for child pornography, many conducted in the hours leading up to the arrest. The digital footprint painted a clear picture of intent and repeated access to illegal material. Authorities linked the images to known child exploitation networks, and Richardson was subsequently indicted following a joint investigation by the Unicoi County Sheriff’s Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
FBI Special Agent Bianca Pearson led the probe, which culminated in federal charges under the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood (PSC)—a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation. The case exemplifies PSC’s mission: leveraging federal and local resources to identify, apprehend, and prosecute offenders while attempting to locate and assist victims.
As part of the court’s orders, Richardson must pay restitution to victims identified through the Child Victim Identification Program (CVIP), managed by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Each identified victim is entitled to compensation, a measure intended to acknowledge, however minimally, the lifelong trauma inflicted by such crimes.
Assistant United States Attorney J. Gregory Bowman prosecuted the case for the federal government. The conviction sends a message: even in the shadows of encrypted browsers and private devices, law enforcement is closing in. For more information on Project Safe Childhood and internet safety resources, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
RELATED: Erwin Man Gets 160 Months for Child Porn Receipt
Related Federal Cases
- Erwin Man Gets 160 Months for Child Porn Receipt · Tennessee
- Jonathan Curtis McClain Gets 22 Years for Child Porn Distribution · Kansas
- David Roy Jones Gets 20 Years for Child Porn Production · New York
- Mt. Juliet Predator Gets 17+ Years for Child Porn · Tennessee
- Covington Predator: Lineback Gets 10 Years for Child Porn · Tennessee
Key Facts
- State: Tennessee
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
Sex CrimesSex CrimesSex CrimesSex Crimes