Voss Gets Over a Decade for Child Porn

AUGUSTA, GA – William Voss, 38, of Waynesboro, Georgia, is headed to federal prison for a decade and one month for sickening crimes against children. Voss was sentenced to 121 months behind bars after pleading guilty to Possession of Child Pornography, a charge that earned him a lengthy stay in a federal penitentiary.

Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, David H. Estes, announced the sentence, handed down by U.S. District Court Chief Judge J. Randal Hall. But prison isn’t the end for Voss. Hall also ordered Voss to register as a sex offender and endure 25 years of supervised release following his incarceration – a lifetime of accountability, though it hardly makes up for the harm he inflicted.

The case unfolded after agents with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) received a tip in May 2020 from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The tip flagged contraband images traced back to Voss’s Burke County residence. A search of devices seized from his home revealed a disturbing cache of hundreds of images depicting the sexual abuse of children. This wasn’t a first offense, either. Court records show Voss previously received a dishonorable discharge from the U.S. Navy after a court-martial for the same heinous crime.

“In coordination with our law enforcement partners, our office will continue to relentlessly protect our most vulnerable citizens,” Estes stated, a standard line but one carrying weight in this case. “Predators like Voss will be identified and held accountable for their crimes.” GBI Director Vic Reynolds echoed the sentiment, stating, “The GBI will continue to work tirelessly to protect innocent child victims of online exploitation.” Words are cheap, but the sentence handed down to Voss speaks volumes.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara M. Lyons, also serving as the Project Safe Childhood Coordinator, prosecuted the case for the United States. The GBI spearheaded the investigation. This case serves as a grim reminder of the dark underbelly of the internet and the predators who lurk within. There is no parole in the federal system, meaning Voss will serve every single day of his 121-month sentence.

If you have information regarding suspected child sexual exploitation, authorities urge you to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 800-843-5678 or submit a report online at https://report.cybertip.org/. Silence aids the predators. Speak up.