Western Reader
Former ABC News star reporter James Gordon Meek has been sentenced to six years in prison. The 53-year-old investigative journalist was found guilty of possessing and distributing sexually explicit content involving minors.
Meek, who had built a reputation as a trailblazing journalist, was charged earlier this year following an FBI raid on his Arlington penthouse. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia revealed Meek had several electronic devices containing images and videos of minors engaged in sexually explicit activities.
YOUR REACTION: Ex-ABC News reporter James Gordon Meek Just sentenced to 6 years in child porn case. The Maximum penalty was 20 years. pic.twitter.com/TjrFPvpnCQ
— Simon Ateba (@simonateba) September 29, 2023
The court documents filed by prosecutors Zoe Bedell and Whitney Kramer painted a disturbing picture of Meek’s actions. They detailed how he sought out individuals online to share and expand his collection of child sexual abuse material for his personal gratification.
The prosecutors noted Meek sent and received pornography involving infants and toddlers, including content depicting sadistic and masochistic abuse of prepubescent children.
Adding to the severity of his crimes, Meek, a divorced father of two, would solicit lewd images from underage individuals and even pose as a minor himself. Evidence seized showed Meek using Snapchat and other apps to pressure minors into sending him sexually explicit images.
In some instances, he portrayed himself as a girl, engaging in conversations with two girls aged 14 and 15, who sent him pictures of their breasts.
Despite the severity of his crimes, Meek’s lawyer, Eugene Gorokhov, argued for leniency, stating that his client’s actions were at odds with his proven personal values.
He suggested that Meek’s coverage of the war on terror in the Middle East had affected his mental health. However, the court did not find these arguments compelling enough to mitigate the seriousness of his offenses.
ABC presenter James Gordon Meek was so insistent, pizzagate wasn’t real.. he did a segment to debunk it.
FED’s recommend a 15 year sentence, for the disgraced paedophile.
P.G 🍕Connections,
Web of Clinton aides, friends / business associates in Washington DC. https://t.co/xNicadegGj pic.twitter.com/7SKhGBhjgR— Nole Levett (@Jigglett2) September 29, 2023
Before his downfall, Meek served as a senior counterterrorism adviser and investigator for the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security.
His journalism career included exposing military cover-ups, friendly fire deaths, and foiled terror plots. He even received an Emmy Award in 2017 for his coverage of the shooting at Orlando’s Pulse nightclub.
Following the FBI raid, Meek resigned from ABC News and went into hiding at his elderly mother’s townhouse in McLean, Virginia. The disgraced journalist was last seen in late October, keeping a low profile and refusing to answer questions about his case.
This case serves as a stark reminder that no one is above the law, regardless of their professional achievements or public reputation. It also underscores the importance of vigilance in protecting our children from online predators who may lurk in the most unexpected places.
This article appeared in Conservative Cardinal and has been published here with permission.
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