Charleston man pleads guilty to receiving child pornography

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man pleaded guilty today to a child pornography crime, announced United States Attorney Carol Casto. Jeffrey Scott Beard, 37, entered his guilty plea to receiving child pornography.

Beard admitted that on October 23, 2016, he received images of prepubescent minors engaged in sex acts. The images were received on Beard’s computer and thumb drives located at his residence in Charleston. The investigation revealed that Beard was using a peer-to-peer file sharing program to download, receive, and distribute images and videos of child pornography. Beard further admitted to possessing over 600 images and videos of minors engaged in sex acts.

Beard faces at least five and up to 20 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on January 11, 2018. Upon his release from prison, he will be required to serve a term of supervised release of at least five years and up to life. He will also be required to register as a sex offender.

The FBI, the West Virginia State Police, the West Virginia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Parkersburg Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston is in charge of the prosecution. The plea hearing was held before United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin.

This case is being prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

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