A Tennessee man was sentenced to an additional ten years in prison in connection with ring at Federal Correctional Institution Fort Dix that was operated by inmates who were imprisoned for related offenses, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Officials say Charles Wesley Bush, 38, of Knoxville, Tennessee, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez to an information charging him with one count of possession explicit images of minors. Judge Rodriguez imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court.
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 exploiting 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 such images by agreeing to transfer the micro SD card to another inmate.
In addition to the additional prison term, Judge Rodriguez sentenced Bush to 10 years of supervised release. Restitution will be determined at a later date.
Six other inmates – all of whom were serving sentences for prior possession of explicit images of minor offenses while committing the alleged crimes in this case – have pleaded guilty: Erik M. Smith, 36, of Iron Mountain, Michigan; Anthony C. Jeffries, 32, of Orange, Virginia; Brian J. McKay, 47, of Brookhaven, Pennsylvania; Christopher D. Roffler, 30, of Virginia Beach, Virginia; Jacob S. Good, 26, of Fredericksburg, Virginia; and Jordan T. Allen, 31, of Plain City, Ohio.
Officials say Smith was sentenced to 151 months in prison, Good was sentenced to 10 years in prison; McKay and Allen were sentenced to 160 months in prison, and the other two defendants are awaiting sentencing.