Wetzel County Man Pleads Guilty To A Federal Child Pornography Offense

Wednesday, July 30, 2025, 11:10 A.M. ET.  2 Minute Read, By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,

WHEELING, W.VA.- A 36-year-old New Martinsville, West Virginia, man, will be facing up to 20 years in federal prison, when sentenced later this year, after pleading guilty on Monday, to possessing digital images and video files depicting the sexual exploitation and abuse of prepubescent and pubescent children.

     According to Acting U.S. Attorney Randolph J. Bernard, on Monday, July 28, 2025, Jon Talkington, 36, of New Martinsville, West Virginia, appeared in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia and pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Court Judge James P. Mazzone to one count of Attempted Solicitation of Possession of Child Pornography.

According To Charging Documents Filed With The Court

     According to charging documents and Police records filed in the District Court, members of the West Virginia State Police received a CyberTip from a Social Media platform, regarding an individual in the Wetzel County, West Virginia, area who was utilizing the internet to upload digital images and video files of child pornography.

     During the ensuing investigation, Investigators of the West Virginia State Police, in conjunction with Investigators of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, identified Talkington as the individual who was accessing the internet to upload child pornography. Further investigation uncovered that Talkington had uploaded the media files of the child pornography to the Social Media platform in an attempt to receive additional digital images and video files of child pornography from other users on the Social Media platform.

When Sentenced, Talking to Faces Up To 20 Years In Prison

     Following entering his guilty plea on Monday, Judge Mazzone accepted the plea and scheduled sentencing for a time and date to be determined by the District Court. At that time, Talkington faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 20 years in federal prison, to be followed by at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $500,000 fine. At sentencing, a U.S. District Court Judge will determine the term of imprisonment based on the seriousness of the offense and Talkington’s prior criminal history.

     Acting U.S. Attorney Bernard commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which led to Monday’s guilty plea.