Leigha Simonton, United States Attorney, Northern District of Texas | U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Texas
A former theology professor and librarian at the Brite Divinity School at Texas Christian University has been sentenced to ten years in federal prison for possessing child pornography. The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, Chad E. Meacham.
Charles Kilby Bellinger, 63, was arrested in October 2024 by the Fort Worth Police Department after TCU’s IT staff discovered pornographic images with concerning file names on his work computer. These files included terms such as “infant” and “toddler.” A federal complaint stated that investigators found multiple sexually explicit images of pre-pubescent minors on a hard drive and an SD card from Bellinger’s office.
In January 2025, Bellinger pled guilty to federal charges related to possessing child pornography. U.S. District Judge Mark T. Pittman sentenced him to 121 months in federal prison and ordered him to pay $6,000 in restitution to certain victims. Bellinger was taken into custody immediately following the hearing.
Acting U.S. Attorney Meacham commended the law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation, including the U.S. Secret Service, Fort Worth Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children Unit, and Texas Christian University Campus Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney A. Saleem prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. The project aims to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children while identifying and rescuing victims.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood or internet safety education resources, visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
