CHARLESTON, W.Va. - A Logan County man pleaded guilty today to receipt of child pornography.
According to the plea agreement and statements made in court, Marvin Wayne Akers, 40, admitted that on Dec. 21, 2016, he used his Facebook account to communicate with a person living in the Philippines and asked to see “her." In response, Akers received two images and a video that he knew were child pornography or images depicting children under the age of 18 engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Akers faces at least five years and up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced on Sept. 16, 2021.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan Blackwell and Jennifer Rada Herrald are handling the prosecution.
This case is being prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:20-000174.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
