BIRMINGHAM - A  federal grand jury today indicted a former part-time Hoover middle school coach on child pornography charges, U.S. Attorney Joyce White Vance and FBI Special Agent in Charge Patrick Maley announced.

The three-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges JAMES EDWARD CORBITT, 34, of Hoover, with receiving, distributing and possessing child pornography.

CORBITT worked as a part-time coach at Bumpus Middle School in the Hoover City School System for about nine years, but was not coaching for the school at the time of his March 31 arrest. On that day, federal agents executed a search warrant at Corbitt’s apartment and recovered a computer and computer hard drives, which are being analyzed. Corbitt remains in custody in the Shelby County Jail pending trial.

“Child pornography is a hideous business,” Vance said. “Those who possess and share child pornography support the demand for children to be horribly abused so that images can be made. We prosecute these cases because our children must be protected.” Vance also urged parents to always know who their children spend time with and how that time is spent, because it is not unusual for someone with unsavory interests in children to place themselves in a setting where children surround them.

The FBI investigated this case, with support from the Hoover Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Anne Gallagher is prosecuting it.

Members of the public are reminded that the indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove a defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

 

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