Berkeley County Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation Offense

BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – A Berkeley County man pleaded guilty today to attempted enticement of a minor. James Braddock Biggerman, 21, of Hedgesville, was charged by a single-count Information in early March 2021.

According to the plea agreement and statements made in court, Biggerman admitted that in June and July, 2020, he communicated with a 13-year-old female located in Bluefield via Snapchat and text messages. During those conversations he asked the minor female to engage in sexual activity with him and send him sexually explicit images and videos of herself. Biggerman also offered to pay the minor female $100 to engage in sexual activity. Biggerman admitted to having similar conversations during the same time frame with another 13-year-old female located in Charleston. Biggerman admitted that on July 18, 2020, he traveled from Hedgesville to Bluefield in order to meet the first minor female to engage in sexual activity. He then planned to transport that minor to Charleston in order to have sex with both minor females and video record the sexual activity.  Biggerman was arrested on July 18, 2020, when he arrived at the location where he had arranged to meet the minor in Bluefield.  

“I want to thank the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office, the Charleston Police Department and the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force for their excellent work in this case,” said Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston.  “We are committed to prosecuting anyone who seeks to exploit our most vulnerable population – our children.”

Biggerman faces at least 10 years and up to life in prison when he is sentenced on June 14, 2021.

Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing.  Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald is handling the prosecution.

This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:21-cr-00037.

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