Registered sex offender pleads guilty to exchanging child pornography on dark web
A registered sex offender admitted in federal court recently that he transported images and videos depicting child torture, child mutilation and child murder. The defendant obtained the material on the dark web and traded it for images and videos of sexual abuse of young children.
Jeremiah Morrison, 38, of Columbus, pleaded guilty to distributing child pornography, possessing child pornography and transporting obscene matter. He faces a sentence of at least 15 years and up to life in prison.
Morrison was twice previously convicted of crimes against children, including a 2012 conviction for filming an 11-year-old boy under a bathroom stall at the Columbus Metropolitan Library.
The Franklin County Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force received information in April 2023 related to Morrison uploading child pornography.
While executing a search warrant in June 2023, investigators discovered Morrison’s cell phone contained 3,000 images and 900 videos of child sexual abuse material.
Morrison was arrested in September 2023 and has remained in custody since.
Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court at a future hearing based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Shawn Gibson, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola announced the charges; and other members of the Franklin County Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force announced the guilty plea entered before Chief U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley. Assistant United States Attorney Emily Czerniejewski is representing the United States in this case.
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