A Tennessee man became the seventh defendant to plead guilty while a Massachusetts man was indicted in connection to a explicit images of minors ring at Federal Correctional Institution Fort Dix that was operated by inmates who were imprisoned for related offenses, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Authorities said Charles Wesley Bush, 38, of Knoxville, Tennessee, pleaded guilty today before Senior U.S. District Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez in Camden federal court to an information charging him with one count of possession of explicit images of minors. While, William H. Noble, 52, of Lowell, Massachusetts, was charged by indictment today with conspiracy to receive and distribute explicit images of minors, receipt of explicit images of minors, distribution of explicit images of minors, possession of explicit images of minors, and accessing explicit images of minors with intent to view on federal property. He will be arraigned at a later date.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Bush admitted that he possessed a micro SD Card containing 2,471 images and 95 videos of explicit images of minors, including depictions of sexual abuse of pre-pubescent children, bestiality, and sadistic and masochistic conduct. In connection with his plea, Bush also admitted that he used a cellular telephone inside the prison to obtain and possess explicit images of minors and that he knowingly engaged in the distribution of explicit images of minors by agreeing to transfer the micro SD card to another inmate.
Officials said Noble allegedly transferred the same micro SD card to a government informant at FCI-Fort Dix on April 19, 2017. Noble allegedly downloaded the explicit images of minors himself and with the assistance of another inmate in the prison. Noble previously pleaded guilty in the District of Massachusetts to transportation and distribution of explicit images of minors and was serving an 81-month sentence with a scheduled release date of March 8, 2018 at the time the alleged offenses were committed. He is currently in custody pending trial on the charges in today’s indictment.
At sentencing, Bush faces a mandatory minimum term of 10 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release. Bush’s sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 10, 2018.
If convicted, Noble faces mandatory minimum terms of 10 and 15 years in prison, a potential maximum of 40 years in prison, and a lifetime of supervised release. The pending charges and allegations against Noble are merely accusations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
According to authorities, Bush, Noble, and six other inmates were arrested in April 2017 and February 2018 following an FBI investigation involving multiple covert recordings and several cooperating inmates.
The investigation revealed that Bush, Noble, and other inmates utilized contraband cellphones, micro SD cards, and access to the internet to obtain, view, and distribute explicit images of minors within the prison. A co-defendant organized and helped facilitate this criminal activity by maintaining cloud accounts that were used as repositories for explicit images of minors.
Officials said five other inmates – Anthony C. Jeffries, 32, of Orange, Virginia, Jordan T. Allen, 31, of Plain City, Ohio, Brian J. McKay, 47, of Brookhaven, Pennsylvania, Jacob S. Good, 26, of Fredericksburg, Virginia, and Christopher D. Roffler, 30, of Virginia Beach, Virginia – have also pleaded guilty to possession of explicit images of minors and await sentencing.
A sixth inmate, Erik M. Smith, 36, of Iron Mountain, Michigan, pleaded guilty to the same charge and was sentenced on May 7, 2018 to an additional 151 months in prison.