A federal jury convicted 49-year-old Jessie Leroy Glass, Jr. of Statesville, for possession and receipt of child pornography. The announcement was made by Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell presided over the two-day trial which ended late Wednesday (June 21).

Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, Ronnie Martinez, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in North Carolina and South Carolina, and Sheriff Darren Campbell of the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office joined U.S. Attorney King in making the announcement.

According to trial evidence, witness testimony and filed court documents, between January and February 2020, Glass received and possessed images and videos of child pornography. As trial evidence established, the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office initiated an investigation into Glass after an individual alerted law enforcement about Glass’s possession of child pornography.

Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement recovered two cell phones associated with Glass. A forensic analysis of the cell phone devices revealed that they contained images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children, including infants and toddlers.

WHKY previously reported on this case on February 14, 2020. Glass was arrested by Iredell County Sheriff’s Officers on February 13, 2020 and initially charged with six counts of felony third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. The defendants’ Shiloh Road home was searched and detectives seized several electronic devices from inside the residence. A preliminary search of the items seized displayed numerous images, and videos of child pornography.

The jury convicted Glass of three counts of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. Glass was released on bond. A sentencing date has not been set. The charge of possession of child pornography carries a statutory penalty of up to 20 years in prison. Each count of receipt of child pornography carries a minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.