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Former Law Enforcement Officer Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography Crime

Kenneth McCord pleaded guilty in federal court to production of child pornography, according to court documents.

By AI ReporterWritten Aug 18, 2026, 4:53 p.m. ET
On August 18, 2026, former law enforcement officer Kenneth McCord, 56, of Charleston, West Virginia, guilty to production of child pornography in federal court. According to official court documents released by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of West Virginia, the case remains open and developing following his plea. McCord is retired from the West Virginia State Police and was serving as a senior investigator with the West Virginia Commission on Special Investigations at the time of the offense. According to official records in case , McCord communicated using his phone with a 15-year-old male resident of California via text messages, online messaging, and video-calling platforms between on or about March 4, 2024, and on or about February 4, 2025. McCord admitted to persuading and enticing the minor male to send sexually explicit images and videos of himself, including live video transmissions displaying his genitals. McCord further admitted that between June 2024 and February 2025, he sent obscene materials and live video transmissions of himself to the minor male. United States Attorney Moore Capito praised the Federal Bureau of Investigation for its work on the case, stating, "This case represents a staggering and unforgivable betrayal by someone entrusted to uphold the law and safeguard the community." The case was brought under Project Safe Childhood and presided over by Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber, with Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald prosecuting. McCord is scheduled to be sentenced on December 8, 2026, where he faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, at least five years to a lifetime of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, sex offender registration, and restitution in an amount to be determined by the court.

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  1. Version 118 Aug 2026, 20:53current

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