Mark Radford, a 33-year-old resident of Huntington, West Virginia, has entered a guilty plea to charges of possessing child pornography. The court documents and statements revealed that on November 3, 2020, law enforcement officials confiscated Radford's cell phone. A forensic analysis uncovered approximately 22 images of minors involved in sexually explicit activities. Radford confessed to downloading these images from the internet and acknowledged that some depicted prepubescent children.
Radford's sentencing is set for May 5, 2025. He faces up to 20 years in prison, a minimum of five years to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Additionally, he will be required to register as a sex offender.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Will Thompson, who praised the investigative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The hearing was overseen by United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers. Assistant United States Attorneys Lesley C. Shamblin and Julie M. White are handling the prosecution.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative by the Department of Justice aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse. This program brings together federal, state, and local resources to find and prosecute individuals who exploit children sexually while also working to identify and rescue victims.
Further information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at www.justice.gov/psc. Details related to this case are available on PACER under Case No. 3:22-cr-61.