A former employee of the West
Virginia State Police has pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography.
Jeffery Erra Osborne, 48, of
Clendenin, admitted that on January 17, he possessed pictures of prepubescent
minors engaged in sexual acts, which were located on his personal computer at
his home.
Osborne faces up to to 20 years in
prison. As part of the agreement, he will abandon certain computers, hard
drives, and electronic storage devices seized from him at the time of the
execution of the search warrant.
The West Virginia Internet Crimes
Against Children Task Force and the West Virginia State Police conducted the
investigation.
Osborne was formerly employed with
the West Virginia State Police for approximately 21 years. He was most recently
employed as a West Virginia State Police Forensic Analyst.
Assistant United States Attorney
Lisa G. Johnston prosecuted the case on behalf of the government while U.S.
District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided.
This case is being brought as part
of U.S. Attorney Goodwin’s ongoing initiative to combat child sexual
exploitation and abuse in the Southern District of West Virginia.
The court scheduled sentencing for Osborne for February 10, 2015.
