Hedgesville Man Sentenced to Five Years for Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Material Following Cyber Tips

MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A Hedgesville man was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison for distributing child sexual abuse material, U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey announced.

Octavious Young, age 20, was identified following multiple cyber tips submitted to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). These tips involved child sexual abuse material linked to an email address later traced to Young.

Law enforcement executed search warrants at Young’s residence and seized electronic devices. Investigators uncovered hundreds of videos and images depicting child sexual abuse.

In addition to his prison sentence, Young was ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution to any victims depicted in the materials. Upon release, he will serve 60 years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberley Crockett prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.

This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative launched in May 2006. The program coordinates federal, state, and local resources to combat child exploitation on the internet by locating, apprehending, and prosecuting offenders and rescuing victims.

U.S. Attorney Harvey emphasized the critical role of timely cyber tips in identifying offenders and protecting children.

The Northern District of West Virginia has recently announced other significant cases involving child sexual abuse material, including lengthy sentences for offenders in Barbour County and admissions of guilt by individuals in Glen Dale.

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