Mingo County Man Pleads Guilty To Federal Child Pornography Crime
Saturday, November 23, 2024, 7:20 A.M. ET. 2 Minute Read, By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,
CHARLESTON, W.VA.- On Wednesday, November 20, 2024, Terry Randall Hinkle, 55, of Delbarton, West Virginia, appeared in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Joseph R. Goodwin to one count of Receiving Child Pornography.
According to U.S. Attorney Will Thompson and charging documents filed with the court, on August 30, 2024, Hinkle received multiple digital images depicting the sexual exploitation and abuse of children on the social media platform Facebook from another user.
During Wednesday’s hearing, Hinkle admitted that the digital images of child pornography he received on Facebook included digital images of nude prepubescent girls with their legs spread to reveal their genitals. Hinkle further admitted that he possessed around 24 video files and 46 digital images depicting child pornography.
Hinkle also admitted that on September 25, 2023, he sent an image of a minor girl with her legs spread to another user on Facebook. During that time, Hinkle solicited another individual online to produce and send him digital images of child pornography depicting children in that individual’s custody. The individual never sent the requested images images.
Hinkle Faces Up To 20 Years In Federal Prison
On Wednesday, following his plea allocation, Judge Goodwin accepted his plea and scheduled sentence for February 12, 2024, at which time Hinkle faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 20 years in federal prison, at least five years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Hinkle would also be required to register as a sex offender in the national database.
U.S. Attorney Thompson commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Department of Homeland Security Investigations.
