Former Portsmouth Police Sergeant Pleads Guilty To Distributing Child Pornography
NORFOLK, Va. – Thomas Humphries, 63, of Portsmouth, Va., pleaded guilty today in Norfolk federal court to one count of Distribution of Child Pornography.
Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and John P. Torres, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement after Humphries’ plea was accepted by United States District Judge Arenda L. Wright Allen.
Humphries, a former sergeant with the Portsmouth Police Department, was charged by a criminal complaint with one count of distributing child pornography. Humphries faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when he is sentenced on October 18, 2011.
According to a statement of facts filed with his plea agreement, Humphries first came to the attention of ICE when, on December 31, 2009, he distributed an image of child pornography by posting the image on a website known to law enforcement to be used to trade images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
This case was investigated by ICE HSI. Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth M. Yusi is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.vaed.uscourts.gov or on https://pcl.uscourts.gov.
