Man Charged With Distributing "Hardcore" Child Porn

A Canton man has been indicted on distributing what federal officials are calling "hardcore" child pornography.

Billy Gene McCorkle, Jr., 45, was arraigned on the charges of distributing and possessing child pornography of children under 12.

He was indicted a federal grand jury on Tuesday for distributing child pornography and possessing images of child pornography depicting minors under 12, according to a news release from the office of United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates.

"The sexual exploitation of a child through the distribution of child pornography is a crime that preys on the most innocent in our society, the very ones who depend on us to protect them," Yates said. "This defendant is accused of trafficking sexually graphic images of very young children, with some of them even shown in bondage situations.  This office is committed to prosecuting those who engage in this horrible trade."

Brock D. Nicholson, special agent in charge for Homeland Security Investigations Atlanta, added McCorkle "stands accused of trading in the worst kinds of child pornography, in effect victimizing again children whose documented rapes will haunt them for the rest of their lives."

Yates said special agents with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations identified McCorkle as the person from Canton using a Gmail account to allegedly "transmit hardcore images of pornography depicting very young children."

Federal agents were able to secure a search warrant to gain access to the email account.

Records from the account showed McCorkle between Oct. 27 and November allegedly used a cell phone connected to the Internet to "transmit more than 208 photographs and 14 video files, depicting pornographic images of minors, including children under age 12," the office said.  

Since McCorkle is a convicted sex offender, the distribution charge has a mandatory sentence of at least 15 years and up to 40 years in prison and fine of up to $250,000.

Furthermore, because the Canton resident allegedly had images of prepubescent children, the possession charge carries a mandatory sentence of at least 10 years and up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

Don’t miss any of the local news you care about. Subscribe to Canton-Sixes Patch’s free newsletter, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.