Newport News Man Pleads Guilty To Transportation Of Child Pornography
Monday, September 23, 2024, 7:00 A.M. ET. 2 Minute Read, By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,
NEWPORT NEWS, VA.- On Tuesday, September 17, 2024, a 51-year-old Newport News, Virginia, man with multiple convictions for sex crimes against children pleaded guilty to a child pornography offense.
According to U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber, on Tuesday, Justus Clay Pease, 51, of Newport News, appeared in U.S District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia and pleaded guilty before U.S District Magistrate Judge Douglas E. Miller to one count of Transportation of Child Sexual Abuse Material.
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According To Court Documents
According to documents filed with the court, on April 11, 12, and 27, 2023, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received CyberTips of files containing child pornography being uploaded to a Google account. The files were being uploaded by Pease, a registered sex offender who had been convicted in Hampton County Circuit Court in 2005 of two counts of indecent conduct with a child by a custodian and in 2007 of one count of indecent conduct with children.
In addition to child pornography identified in the CyberTips that was uploaded to Pease’s Google account, investigators uncovered more files uploaded to Pease’s Google Photos account.
Following entering his guilty plea, Magistrate Judge Miller accepted Pease’s plea and scheduled sentencing for January 16, 2025. At that time, Pease faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 40 years in U.S. federal prison. Magistrate Judge Miller will determine the actual term of imprisonment based on the seriousness of the offense and Pease’s prior criminal history.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.
