Man sentenced to 5 years for child pornography

Lynchburg News & Advance
Published: July 11, 2008

A Madison Heights man was sentenced to five years in prison this week after being convicted of 177 counts of possession of child pornography.

Corey Dean Meeks, 41, pleaded guilty in March to keeping the images on his computers. He was arrested a year ago, when authorities said he had a yearlong
relationship with a Virginia Beach police officer posing as a 12-year-old girl.

In an earlier interview, Amherst Commonwealth’s Attorney Stephanie Maddox said Meeks sent more than three dozen suggestive images of adults and children to the police officer.

Maddox said Meeks admitted to collecting pornography for five years. Photos found on his computers depicted minors ranging in age from toddlers to young teens, she said.

Amherst County Sheriff’s Office Investigator Chris Smith said a Medical College of Virginia pediatrician noted that at least 800 images appeared to be of underage subjects.

The prosecutor said the sentencing guidelines in Meeks’ case called for as much as 178 years in prison.

Judge J. Michael Gamble sentenced Meeks to 354 years in prison Monday, but suspended all but five years. Gamble ordered Meeks to serve 20 years probation.