Myrtle Beach Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography Charges

Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that James Robert Fix, age 46, of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, pled guilty in federal court in Florence, to Possession of Child Pornography, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252A(a)(5)(B).  United States District Judge Bryan Harwell, of Florence, accepted the plea and will impose sentence after he has reviewed the presentence report which will be prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.

The evidence presented at the guilty plea hearing established that federal agents executed a search warrant at Fix’s Myrtle Beach residence on November 24, 2015, based on information that he was receiving child pornography via email.  On that same day agents also interviewed Fix who admitted to possessing child pornography and surrendered his laptop computer and cellphone to the agents.  During forensic analyses of the computer, cellphone and a thumb drive seized during the search, agents located numerous videos and images containing child pornography.

Ms. Drake stated the maximum penalty Fix can receive is imprisonment for 10 years and a fine of $250,000.

The case was investigated by agents with ICE- Homeland Security Investigations.  Assistant United States Attorney A. Bradley Parham of the Florence office is prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, 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, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

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