Southampton man pleads guilty to producing child pornography

Published 12:45 pm Wednesday, September 4, 2019

NORFOLK

A Southampton County man pleaded guilty on Aug. 29 in federal district court to producing child pornography.

Quinton Myrick

According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, Quinton Myrick, 25, contacted an 11-year-old girl online in December 2018, and convinced her to produce child pornography and send it to him. Then, when Myrick suspected the 11-year-old was talking to other boys, he posted the child pornography on the girl’s social media account.

The Tidewater News had reported in February that the Franklin Police Department had arrested Myrick — who was identified in the FPD police report as being from Newsoms — on child pornography charges following a separate social media incident, this time in Franklin, involving Myrick and a 17-year-old girl. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office press release, Myrick also produced child pornography with the 17-year-old and, after becoming angry with her, posted her videos on social media.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Michael K. Lamonea, assistant special agent in charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations Norfolk, made a joint announcement with FPD Deputy Chief Robert Porti regarding the court’s finding after U.S. Magistrate Judge Douglas E. Miller accepted the plea.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth M. Yusi is prosecuting the case. The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. This initiative is led by the U.S. Attorney’s offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section.

Myrick faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum of 30 years. His sentencing is scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 11.