Project Safe Childhood: Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography Offense

 HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man pled guilty to a child pornography offense, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Trent S. Davis, 29, pled guilty to possession of child pornography involving minors.

“Davis planned his deviant acts,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “He believed he was communicating with the parent of young girls. It is wrong on so many levels to think that is okay. He went further to make arrangements to meet the minors. The investigation also uncovered images and videos of younger children on his cell phone and computer that are too appalling to imagine.”

Davis admitted that on April 27, 2020, he arranged with a person he believed to be the parent to two minor females, ages 12 and 14, to travel from his job in Eleanor, West Virginia to Ashland, Kentucky, in order to engage in sexual activity with both minor girls. On the way to the meeting location, Davis stopped to purchase condoms to use during the sexual activity. Davis was arrested when he arrived at the meeting location in Ashland. A subsequent search of his cell phone revealed numerous images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation of minors, including videos depicting the sexual abuse of toddlers and images and videos depicting sadistic conduct. A search of Davis’ residence located additional computer equipment that also contained child sexual abuse materials. 

Davis faces up to 20 years in prison when sentenced on December 14, 2020. If convicted he will be required to register as a sex offender.

The Ashland (Kentucky) Police Department and the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force conducted the investigation. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald and law student intern Makeia Jonese are handling the prosecution.

This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:20-cr-00072.