A New Boston, Texas, man pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography Tuesday at a hearing in a Texarkana federal court.
John Matthew Emerson, 35, appeared with Longview, Texas, attorney Jason Cassel before U.S. Magistrate Judge Caroline Craven for a plea hearing Tuesday morning in the Texarkana Division of the Eastern District of Texas. Emerson pleaded guilty to the second charge listed in a two-count indictment issued in August by a federal grand jury. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Wulff represented the government at the hearing.
The first count of the indictment, transportation of child pornography, is expected to be dismissed at sentencing. According to a factual basis, Emerson possessed a cell phone June 9, 2017, which contained images depicting the sexual abuse and exploitation of children which he obtained and stored via the internet and an online cloud service.
“Emerson also knew that he possessed more than 600 images and videos of child pornography, including files depicting prepubescent minors, sadistic or masochistic abuse or other depictions of violence, and images depicting the sexual abuse and exploitation of infants and toddlers,” the factual basis states. “Emerson admits that he committed the offense described in the Indictment in locations through the Eastern District of Texas, including his home in New Boston, Bowie County, Texas.”
The government has given notice of intent to seek Emerson’s forfeiture of three cell phones. Emerson has been in jail since his arrest earlier this year. He will return to court for formal sentencing before U.S. District Judge Robert Schroeder III once the court has received a pre-sentence report including a recommendation for punishment under federal guidelines.
