MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Justin David Peters, of Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 18 months incarceration for failing to update his sex offender registry, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.

Peters, age 26, pled guilty to one count of “Failure to Register” in April 2019. Peters, having previously been convicted of possession of child pornography in Berkeley County Circuit Court, admitted to traveling to Florida without updating his sex offender registration as required by law. The crime occurred from June to September 2018.

This case is prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse.  Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey A. Finucane prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The United States Marshal Service investigated.

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