Martinez man sentenced to prison for possession of child pornography

MARTINEZ, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - A Columbia County man has been sentenced to more than 14 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of child pornography, according to Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.

U.S. District Court Chief Judge J. Randal Hall says Bradley Fearneyhough, 35, has to pay $21,000 in restitution, register as a sex offender, and serve 20 years of supervised release after his prison term.

According to officials, the FBI received an online tip that Fearneyhough possessed images of child sexual abuse. Agents found hundreds of images on multiple devices in Fearneyhough’s possession, including videos portraying sexual abuse of young children, including infants.

“Predators who possess images of child sexual exploitation perpetuate the victimization of these vulnerable children,” said Steinberg. “This sentence makes it clear that such despicable activity won’t be tolerated in our communities.”

“Thanks to a public tip submitted to the National Threat Operations Center, Fearneyhough will be held accountable for his heinous crimes,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “This case is an outstanding example of how partnerships between the FBI and the public are essential in protecting our citizens, in particular, children, our most vulnerable citizens.”

If you have information on suspected child sexual exploitation, contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at (800) 843-5678, or https://report.cybertip.org/.

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