A Cottonwood woman has been sentenced to over 21 years in prison for her role in a child pornography ring.
Sarah Melissa Cox, 41, was handed down a 262-month prison sentence by Senior U.S. District Judge Roslyn O. Silver, along with a lifetime of supervised release. Cox was convicted of three counts of receipt of child pornography, one count of noticing or advertising child pornography, and one count of distribution of child pornography in May.
Evidence presented at trial showed that Cox engaged in a conversation with Richard Hennis of Colorado from August 2015 until January 2016 using the Kik social media application. During this conversation, Cox and Hennis described in detail the kidnapping, molesting, and assaulting of children.
Hennis sent numerous images of child pornography to Cox, including three images of an infant being sexually assaulted, which he had conspired to produce with a different woman. Cox provided Hennis with a link to additional child pornography, further exacerbating the severity of her crimes.
“Cox not only viewed, described, and exchanged pictures and videos of horrendous acts against infants and young children, she also suggested kidnapping and sexually assaulting other children,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth A. Strange. “Cox’s conduct is shocking and deserving of the lengthy prison sentence.”
The investigation in this case was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Brooks and Christina Covault handling the prosecution. “The lengthy sentence handed down in this case is instrumental in pursuing justice for the victims of this child predator’s heinous crimes,” said Scott Brown, special agent in charge of HSI Phoenix.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Arizona is committed to protecting the citizens of Arizona from crimes such as these. For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/.
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Key Facts
- State: Arizona
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
Sex CrimesSex CrimesSex CrimesSex Crimes