Roanoke Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography Charges

Roanoke, VIRGINIA – A Roanoke man, who investigators with the Southern Virginia Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force identified as someone who received at least 144 files containing child pornography, pleaded guilty today in the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia in Roanoke, Acting United States Attorney Rick A. Mountcastle announced.

Richard B. Morgan, 67, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today to an Information charging him with one count of receipt of child pornography. A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for February 16, 2018 at 9:30 a.m.

According to information presented at today’s guilty plea hearing by Assistant United States Attorney Charlene R. Day, In June 2015, an investigator with the Southern Virginia ICAC identified the IP address attached to the home address of the defendant as one associated with an IP address downloading files containing child pornography. Investigators successfully downloaded images of child pornography from the defendant via peer-to-peer, file-sharing software often used by those who trade in child pornography.

A search warrant was obtained for Morgan’s home address. During the search, Morgan told officers, “I know why you are here.” Morgan admitted to officers that he downloaded child pornography and was the only person with access to the computer in his apartment. Morgan’s computer and an external hard drive were seized and forensically examined, revealing 1,849 images and 4,406 videos containing child pornography.

The investigation of the case was conducted by the Southern Virginia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Bedford County Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security. Assistant United States Attorney Charlene R. Day is prosecuting the case for the United States.