August 19, 2014

Raleigh County Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child Pornography

BECKLEY, WV—A 32-year old Raleigh County man faces up to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty today to possession of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin announced. David Alan Hunt, of Sophia, West Virginia entered a guilty plea before United States District Court Judge Irene C. Berger.

Hunt admitted that on March 23, 2012, he possessed pictures of prepubescent and pubescent minors engaged in sexual acts. The images were located on his personal computer and on a compact disc located in his residence. Hunt also admitted to using a file sharing program that allowed him to share the pornographic images over the Internet. U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin said, “We are committed to the fight against criminals like David Alan Hunt who contribute to the exploitation and abuse of children. We will use every available tool to track them down and prosecute them to the fullest extent allowed by law.”

The court scheduled a sentencing hearing for Hunt on December 4, 2014 in Beckley, West Virginia.

The West Virginia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Southern Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, and Federal Bureau of Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston is in charge of the prosecution.

This case is being brought as part of U.S. Attorney Goodwin’s ongoing initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse in the Southern District of West Virginia.