DAYTON – Zachery Van Meter, 21, of Brookville, Ohio, recently pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to receiving child pornography.

Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Angela L. Byers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, Preble County Sheriff Michael L. Simpson and Perry Township Police Chief Bob Bowman announced the plea entered into before U.S. District Judge Thomas M. Rose.

According to court documents, Van Meter created a Kik messenger app account in July 2016. From that time until February 2017, Van Meter used Kik to receive images of child pornography from others and to communicate with others about the sexual exploitation of children.

During the course of these conversations, Van Meter took at least 15 photographs of clothed juveniles who were known to the defendant and sent these photographs to others in an effort to receive more child pornography files.

Van Meter received at least 30 sexually explicit photographs of children, including at least one that portrayed sadistic and/or masochistic conduct involving the binding of a child’s arms and legs by black material to a hook on the floor.

Receipt of child pornography is a federal crime punishable by a range of five to 20 years in prison.

U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the FBI, Preble County Sheriff’s Office and Perry Township Police Department, as well as Assistant United States Attorney Dominick S. Gerace, who is representing the United States in this case.