CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Robert Anthony Thomas, 46, of Parkersburg, pleaded guilty today to distribution and attempted distribution of child pornography.

According to court documents and statements made in court, from about June 1, 2020, through about August 23, 2022, Thomas made over 105,000 digital media files of child pornography available to others by using a peer-to-peer file sharing program. Thomas admitted that he knew the digital media files contained child pornography and would be downloaded by others. Thomas further admitted that the digital media files included a video file of a prepubescent female engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

On August 23, 2022, Thomas possessed more than 100 images and 14 videos on his laptop and external hard drive depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Thomas admitted that many of these images and videos depict prepubescent minors, including infants and toddlers. Thomas further admitted that several of the images and videos depict known child victims.

Thomas is scheduled to be sentenced on August 30, 2023, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison, five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Thomas must also register as a sex offender.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Julie M. White is prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-70. 

Original source can be found here.