Harnett County Man Sentenced to 50 Years for Exploitation of a Child and Distribution of Child Pornography

GREENSBORO – A Dunn man was sentenced today to 600 months in prison after pleading guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of a child and one count of distribution of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Sandra J. Hairston of the Middle District of North Carolina (MDNC).  

According to court records, JOSHUAH TAYLOR BRADSHAW, 33, was arrested after his roommate discovered a series of disturbing photos and videos associated with his email account. After the Hoke County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) was notified of possible criminal activity, they executed a search warrant on BRADSHAW’S personal devices where they discovered evidence that he had abused a minor as well as 150 videos and 200 images of child pornography. BRADSHAW was subsequently arrested in August 2020.

In June 2021, the HCSO contacted the FBI for additional assistance investigating the case. A review of forensic files revealed over 600 images and 500 videos of sexually explicit content including minors. The files also included instances of BRADSHAW abusing a minor that he then distributed to other individuals.

BRADSHAW was sentenced to a 600-month term of imprisonment followed by 25 years of supervised release by the Honorable Catherine C. Eagles, United States District Judge in the United States District Court for the MDNC.  In addition to prison time, BRADSHAW was ordered to pay restitution to victims totaling $27,500.00 and special assessments totaling $5,200.00. He pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of a child and one count of distribution of child pornography on June 20, 2023.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Hoke County Sheriff’s Office and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney K. P. Kennedy Gates.  

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

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