KANAWHA COUNTY, W.Va. — U.S. Attorney for the state’s Southern District Will Thompson said a convicted sex offender has pleaded guilty to possession of prepubescent child pornography.
Court documents show that Benson Cline II, 49, of Cedar Grove, possessed 22 images and 134 videos of child sexual abuse material including digital media files depicting prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The files were stored on his instant messaging app account on his cell phone sometime between July 24, 2023, to on or about November 6, 2023.
Cline is a registered sex offender after being convicted in February 2011 of soliciting a minor via computer.
Cline’s sentencing is scheduled for July 25. He faces up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and possibly up to a lifetime of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Thompson commended the work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in the investigation.