Eastern Panhandle Man Sentenced For Possession Of Child Pornography
Wednesday, December 4, 2024, 11:00 A.M. ET. 1 Minute Read, By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,
MARTINSBURG, W.VA.- On Tuesday, December 3, 2024, Steven James Priore, 41, of Hedgesville, West Virginia, appeared in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia and was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Gina M. Groh to 78 months in federal prison, for his previously entered guilty plea to Possession of Child Pornography.
In handing down the sentence on Tuesday, Judge Groh ordered Priore to pay $65,000 in restitution to his identified victims and sentenced him to a lifetime of supervised release in addition to the term of imprisonment.
According to U.S. Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II and documents filed with the court, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a cyber tip of child pornography being uploaded from an email address that was traced back to Priore’s residence.
Following being identified, Detectives of the West Virginia State Police obtained and executed a court-authorized search warrant at Priore’s home. During the search, Detectives seized multiple electronic devices. A subsequent forensic examination of the devices uncovered digital images and video files depicting the sexual exploitation and abuse of prepubescent and pubescent children.
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.
