Radio station owner pleads guilty to child porn charges

On Tuesday, a local radio station owner pleaded guilty to child pornography charges

33 year-old Jamie Clark, owner and news director of WHEO AM Radio in Stuart plead guilty to four counts of distributing child pornography and one count of possession. He made the plea because he didn’t want to take a chance with a jury trial.

The incidents happened in Patrick County, but because of a potential conflict of interest special prosecutors out of Louisa County handled the case. At the hearing this week prosecutors presented a lot of evidence; mostly pornographic materials that were seized from Clark’s office at the radio station.

The first was a video tape that was found in his office desk of two teenagers having consensual sex. The second item was Clark’s work computer that contained images of child pornograghy and was also used to send pictures to other email accounts.

In court, prosecutors also said an employee at the radio station, WHEO, complained about observing child pornography on that same computer.

The next step for Clark is sentencing. It’s been set for May 28, which was originally the start date for his trial. Clark faces up to 45 years behind bars and a $12,500 fine. Under Attorney General Bob McDonnell’s 2007 legislative agenda the punishment for distributing child pornography increased.  Under the new law, Clark’s violations would have carried a maximum sentence of 65 years in prison, instead of the *45* he faces.
   
Clark was released on a $20,000 bond after his arrest in 2007 and will be out on bond until his sentencing.