Retired University Professor Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child Pornography

DAYTON, OH—James Uphoff, 76, of Oakwood, Ohio pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of possession of child pornography following an investigation that began when employees of Wright State University found questionable material on a printer and copy machine on campus.

Carter M. Stewart, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Kevin R. Cornelius, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Wright State University Interim Police Chief David Finnie; and Oakwood Police Chief Alex Bebris announced the plea entered today before U.S. District Judge Walter H. Rice.

According to court documents, in early September 2012, just prior to Uphoff’s retirement from Wright State, University Police began investigating Uphoff after the employees found the materials. Investigators also examined a university-owned computer Uphoff used and searched Uphoff’s Oakwood residence.

Investigators seized computer media from Uphoff’s residence and had it examined at the Miami Valley Regional Computer Forensic Laboratory. Analysts found approximately 550 images and two videos of child pornography on three of the computer devices. The examination also recovered printouts depicting images of naked teenage boys and young adults in bondage and/or pornographic poses.

The plea agreement contains a sentencing range of at least six and not more than 24 months. The court will conduct an investigation and schedule a sentencing date later.

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 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.justice.gov/psc.

U.S. Attorney Stewart commended the cooperative investigation by the agencies involved, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy Muncy, who prosecuted the case.