Eastern Panhandle Man Sentenced for Child Pornography Charge

MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Steven James Priore, 41, of Hedgesville, West Virginia, was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison for the possession of child pornography.

According to court documents, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a cyber tip of uploaded child pornography from an email address traced back to Priore. A search of Priore’s home resulted in the seizure of devices that contained images and videos depicting child pornography. 

Prior was also ordered to pay $65,000 in restitution. He will serve supervised release for life following his prison sentence.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberley Crockett prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.

The West Virginia State Police investigated.

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 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 Justice.gov/PSC.

U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.