Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Production of Child Pornography

NORFOLK, Va. – A Suffolk man was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for producing images of child sexual abuse.

“These crimes are vile and display the kind of manipulation and vindictiveness Quinton Myrick is capable of,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Production of child pornography is one of the most offensive and serious crimes in the entire criminal code; it involves a real-life child, real-life abuse, and causes incalculable and unknowable harm to victims.”

According to court documents, Quinton Thomas Myrick, 26, met an 11-year-old girl from Ohio online in December 2018. Myrick convinced the girl to produce child pornography and send it to him, and she complied. When Myrick suspected the 11-year-old was talking to other boys, he posted the child pornography on the girl’s social media account. Myrick also produced child pornography with a second minor victim, a 17-year-old girl. When Myrick became angry with her, Myrick also posted her videos on social media.

“HSI will continue to target sexual predators who use the internet to prey on young victims,” said Jim Stitzel, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations Norfolk. “Let this case serve as a lesson to predators who think they can hide behind a screen name. If you target minors, we will target you for arrest.”

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the 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.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jim Stitzel, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Norfolk; and Robert Porti, Deputy Chief of Franklin Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Rebecca Beach Smith. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth M. Yusi prosecuted the case.

The Columbus Police Department provided significant assistance during this investigation.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:19-cr-91.