Man gets 20 years for child pornography, explosives charges
FRANKFORT, Ky. (WTVQ) – A 45-year-old Frankfort man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison on child pornography and weapons and explosives charges.
According to federal prosecutors, Joshua James Moore was sentenced to 240 months by U.S. District Judge Gregory VanTatenhove after pleading guilty to knowingly receiving a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct and being a felon in possession of firearm and explosive devices.
According to Moore’s plea agreement, he admitted to knowingly receiving a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct through his computer. Specifically, Moore used the Internet to search and download as many as 15 videos and 20 pictures of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, prosecutors said.
Additionally, following at least two convictions for crimes punishable by imprisonment for more than one year, Moore was in possession of three firearms, including a sawed-off shotgun, and two explosive pipe bombs. Moore admitted he knew he was a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Moore has two prior convictions, a conviction of cultivation of five or more marijuana plants in January 2018, and a conviction for possession of methamphetamine in January 2018.
Moore pleaded guilty in May 2021.
Under federal law, Moore must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for life.
The investigation was conducted by ATF, the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office, Franklin County Sheriff’s Department, and the Lexington Police Department. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth and Special Assistant United States Attorney James Chapman.
