Powhatan Man Pleads Guilty to Production of Child Pornography
RICHMOND, Va. – James Edward May, II, 41, of Powhatan County, Virginia, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to one count of production of child pornography. Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia made the announcement after the plea was accepted by United States District Judge Henry E. Hudson.
May faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15-years' imprisonment and a maximum penalty of 30-years' imprisonment when he is sentenced on November 2, 2012. In addition to a term of imprisonment, May will be required to register as a sex offender in any U.S. jurisdiction in which he lives, works, or attends school.
According to court documents, in 2011, May used a cellular telephone to produce child pornographic images of a four year-old and a seven year-old child. Forensic analysts recovered a number of additional child pornographic images and videos May had downloaded to his personal computer and cellular telephone from the Internet. Evidence revealed that May also distributed child pornography images using a cellular telephone in November 2011 and December 2011. State authorities arrested May in 2011 on possession of child pornography charges related to the current investigation in Powhatan County. He is currently being held in federal custody.
This case is being investigated by agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Powhatan County Sheriff's Office. Special Assistant United States Attorney Gene Fishel of the Virginia Attorney General’s Office is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
