Huber Heights Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child Pornography
DAYTON – Richard C. Webber, 54, of Huber Heights, Ohio, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of possession of child pornography.
Benjamin C. Glassman, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio and Angela L. Byers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Field Division and Montgomery County Sheriff Phil Plummer announced the plea entered into today before Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge Sharon L. Ovington.
According to court documents, Webber used “Peer-to-Peer” software and file-sharing programs and applications – including ARES, LimeWire and NewsBin, as well as Windows – to obtain, download, view, possess with intent to distribute, share and transfer child pornography. Webber possessed videos depicting child pornography on a shared file folder on his home desktop computer and various storage devices in his home in Huber Heights. Upon executing a search warrant, investigators discovered more than 1,200 pictures and 170 video files of child pornography, including ones involving prepubescent minors.
Webber was charged on March 25, 2016 by a Bill of Information. Sentencing is set for 2pm on August 9 before U.S. District Court Judge Walter H. Rice.
Possession of child pornography involving prepubescent minors carries a potential maximum custodial sentence of 20 years in prison and at least five years up to a lifetime of supervised release. Webber will also be required to register as a sex offender.
This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
Acting U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the FBI and Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Hunt and First Assistant United States Attorney Vipal Patel, who are representing the United States in this case.