Terry Randall Hinkle, a 56-year-old resident of Delbarton, has been sentenced to ten years in prison for receiving child pornography. Following his release, he will undergo ten years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.
Court documents reveal that on August 30, 2023, Hinkle received multiple images depicting child pornography via Facebook from another user. He admitted that these images included nude prepubescent females with their legs spread to display their genitals. Additionally, Hinkle possessed approximately 24 videos and 46 images of child pornography. On September 25, 2023, he sent an image depicting a nude minor female with her legs spread to expose her genitals via Facebook to another user.
Hinkle also solicited another individual online to produce and send him images of child pornography involving minors in that individual's custody. However, the requested photos were never sent.
United States Attorney Will Thompson announced the sentencing and praised the investigative efforts of the West Virginia State Police-Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
The sentence was imposed by United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative by the Department of Justice aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse. The project unites federal, state, and local resources to locate and prosecute individuals who exploit children sexually while identifying and rescuing victims.
Further information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at www.justice.gov/psc.