John Wesley Mitchem, Child Pornography Possession, Georgia 2020

Macon, GA – A Thomaston man has pleaded guilty to possessing child exploitation material, a crime that could land him behind bars for up to 20 years.

John Wesley Mitchem, 31, of Thomaston, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography before U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell on February 17.

Mitchem faces a maximum 20 years of imprisonment to be followed by up to a lifetime of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. In addition, Mitchem will have to register as a sex offender for life upon his release from federal prison. There is no parole in the federal system.

Sentencing has been scheduled for May 3.

According to court documents, the Homeland Security Investigations Atlanta, Child Exploitation Investigations Group (HSI-CEIG) received information from HSI Detroit that an individual employing Kik application username “bigchevyguy0” was in contact with an undercover HSI agent and had sent the undercover agent three images that contained child pornography. Mitchem was identified as “bigchevyguy0,” and agents executed a federal search warrant at his Thomaston residence on March 13, 2020. A forensic examination of Mitchem’s digital devices found six images and one video of child sexual exploitation material depicting infants and toddlers. Mitchem admitted that he shared the three images with the undercover agent using his cellular device from his residence.

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.

“Individuals who participate in the sexual exploitation of children will face significant time in federal prison for their crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Our office—working alongside federal, state and local authorities—will pursue justice for victims against any adults who sexually entice, abuse or harm a child.”

Mitchem was identified as “bigchevyguy0” and was found to have six images and one video of child sexual exploitation material, including images depicting infants and toddlers. He admitted to sharing the three images with an undercover agent using his cellular device from his residence.

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