Katie 
Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.
“Today’s significant sentencing removes from the community a repeat child predator, who shockingly continued his predatory behavior while on parole for similar crimes,” said Vance Callender, Homeland Security Investigations special agent in charge for Michigan and Ohio. “There is no place in our society for those who prey on children. HSI and its partners will continue to aggressively target those who exploit children.”
The Department of Justice, Southern District of Ohio announced on Monday that 65-year-old Garry Weatherbie of Franklin, Ohio had been sentenced to 10 years in prison with an additional 10 years of supervised release for possession of child sexual abuse images.
Weatherbie had been previously convicted in Hamilton County Common Pleas Court for pandering sexual material involving a minor. He served an eight year sentence in the Chillicothe Correctional Institution.
While he was still on parole from that sentence, investigators arrested Weatherbie in February 2019 on allegations of sexual assault. While investigators were searching his residence, they located more than 600 images of child pornography on his tablet.
In February 2020, Weatherbie pleaded guilty to the federal charges filed against him.
“This case is a reminder that possessing child pornography is not a victimless crime,” U.S. Attorney David M. DeVillers said. “Even if you do not create the child pornography, you can face significant time in federal prison.”
[Image credit: Arrests.org]
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