Jury Convicts Grovetown Man of Receiving and Possessing Child Pornography

AUGUSTA, GA—After a three-day trial, a jury in federal district court returned a guilty verdict on Wednesday afternoon against Morgan Chase Woods, age 25, of Grovetown, Georgia, for one count of receiving child pornography and two counts of possessing child pornography. The case was tried before U.S. District Court Judge J. Randal Hall at the U.S. Courthouse in Augusta, Georgia.

United States Attorney Edward J. Tarver stated, “This defendant admitted to downloading child pornography for years, and during that time received and possessed images and videos depicting the violent exploitation of the most vulnerable among us—our children. The United States Attorney’s Office will continue to work with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to prosecute those who choose to further the market for such images, thereby putting children at risk of future sexual abuse.”

The evidence at trial showed that Woods downloaded and possessed child pornography on two computers he owned while living in Grovetown, Georgia, between 2007 and 2009. The child pornography included almost 200 images depicting children previously identified as victims of sexual abuse through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. In a statement to law enforcement, Woods had admitted to downloading hundreds of images of child pornography from 1997 to 2009, and to his prior sexual interest in children.

Woods now faces between five years and 20 years in prison for receipt of child pornography, and up to 10 years in prison on each count of possessing child pornography. Woods will also be required to register as a sex offender, and will be subject to a term of supervised release of five years to life. A sentencing date has not been set. Woods was remanded to U.S. Marshal custody following his conviction.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a U.S. Department of Justice initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Project Safe Childhood, led by the United States Attorney’s Offices, 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.

The case was the result of a joint investigation conducted by Special Agents Mary Beth Eversman and Noah Williams of the U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and Special Agent Brian Ozden of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Employees of the Defense Computer Forensic Laboratory, including James C. Morris, provided computer forensic support in the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nancy C. Greenwood and Patricia Green Rhodes prosecuted case for the United States. For additional information, please contact First Assistant United States Attorney James D. Durham at (912) 201-2547.