TEXARKANA, Texas–An 85-year-old Atlanta, Texas, man required to register as a sex offender in connection with convictions involving children appeared Friday before a federal judge in Texarkana on a charge of possession of child pornography.
J.C. Herndon is expected to return to court next week for a hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge James Boone Baxter to determine if he should be detained while his case proceeds. Herndon was arrested Friday and is currently in federal custody.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety sex offender registry, Herndon has been registered as a sex offender in Cass County since April 2024. The DPS site lists a 2008 conviction for indecency with a child by exposure involving a 16-year-old girl and a 2023 conviction for attempted indecency with a child by exposure involving a 12-year-old boy.
The Cass County Sheriff’s Department said Friday on social media that Herndon was on probation when he was allegedly found in possession of material depicting the sexual abuse and exploitation of children.
Herndon faces up to 10 years in federal prison if convicted of possessing child sexual abuse material. He could receive additional time at the state level if his existing probation is revoked.
Judge Baxter signed an order Friday appointing the Federal Public Defender’s Office to represent Herndon, court records show. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Richards.