ST. GEORGE, Utah, April 3, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — A St. George man has been sentenced after he admitted to knowingly possessing child pornography.
James Edgar Conner, 42, was sentenced Wednesday to 6 years’ imprisonment, to be followed by 15 years’ supervised release.
According to court documents and statements and admissions made at the change of plea hearing, between April 2019 through June 2023, in Utah, Conner knowingly possessed electronic files depicting child pornography, says a news release issued by the U.S. Department of Justice, District of Utah.
An investigation into Conner began in June 2023, when law enforcement received multiple cybertips for a Synchronoss account that belonged to Conner, the statement says. Synchronoss provides cloud data storage for wireless customers. The cybertips revealed child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Law enforcement executed a search warrant for Conner’s Synchronoss account, and the return showed the account was associated with Conner’s cellphone and email address. Inside the account, law enforcement found 23 child pornography videos as well as personal identifying information such as Conner’s paychecks, driver’s license, and work badge. Law enforcement also found several surreptitious videos that Conner covertly recorded of adult women using his restroom.
On June 27, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Conner’s residence in St. George. Prior to the execution of the search warrant, law enforcement arrested Conner. During the search, officers found a number of digital devices including cellphones and covert camera equipment in the residence, among other items.
“During an interview, Conner admitted knowingly downloading multiple CSAM videos to his phone, some of which depicted children under the age of 10.”
The case was investigated by the St. George Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Chris Burton of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
