Lewis County Man Sentenced for Child Pornography

A Lewis County man has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for possessing child pornography, announced Acting United States Attorney Carol Casto.

Derrick Young, 33, of Weston, pleaded guilty in February 2016 to possessing images and videos of child pornography. Young admitted to possessing over 3,000 images and more than 700 videos containing child pornography on his computer and personal cell phone at his former residence in Nicholas County.

The images and videos contained prepubescent minors engaged in sexual acts, and Young had traded them with others to increase his supply of child pornography. This egregious act has led to a life of supervised release and registration as a sex offender for Young.

Young’s sentence was further enhanced due to the severity of his actions. United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the five-year sentence, which will be followed by 20 years of supervised release.

The investigation was conducted by the Department of Homeland Security and the West Virginia State Police, with Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes in charge of the prosecution.

As part of an ongoing initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse in the Southern District of West Virginia, this case was brought to light. The United States Attorney’s Office has made it a priority to hold perpetrators accountable for their actions.

Young’s fate serves as a warning to those who engage in such heinous crimes. The public should be aware that child pornography is a serious offense that will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

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