A New Boston, Texas, man facing charges of transporting and possessing child pornography pleaded not guilty before a federal judge in Texarkana this week.
John Matthew Emerson, 35, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Caroline Craven for arraignment Tuesday in the Texarkana Division of the Eastern District of Texas. Craven appointed Longview, Texas, attorney Jason Cassel to represent Emerson and Cassel entered a plea of not guilty on Emerson’s behalf to each of two counts listed in an indictment.
Emerson is accused of transporting child pornography “using a file hosting service for cloud storage and the internet” between July 11, 2016, and July 13, 2016, according to count one of the indictment. The indictment alleges Emerson transported a 19-second video of a prepubescent female engaged in a sexual act with an adult male.
The second count of Emerson’s indictment accuses him of possessing a cell phone on June 9, 2017, which contained two pornographic photos and two pornographic videos. The photos are described as picturing a nude prepubescent boy. One of the videos is allegedly more than half an hour long and pictures a woman performing sexual acts on a prepubescent girl. The second video allegedly depicts a prepubescent girl engaged in a sexual act with a man.
Transporting child pornography is punishable by five to 20 years and a fine up to $250,000 unless Emerson has a prior conviction for a crime involving child sexual abuse or child pornography. In that case, the punishment range increases to 15 to 40 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.
Possession of child pornography is punishable by up to 10 years unless the porn depicts a child who is prepubescent or under 12. Under that circumstance, the maximum punishment increases to 20 years. The offense includes a possible fine up to $250,000.
Each of the counts includes a mandatory $100 special assessment if there is a conviction.
The case is scheduled for jury selection Oct. 22 before U.S. District Judge Robert Schroeder III in Texarkana. Emerson is currently in federal custody.
