United States of America v. Gregory Lynn McKnight, Jr.

Knoxville, Tennessee criminal defense lawyer represented defendant charges with production child porn.



Gregory Lynn McKnight, Jr., 28, of Clintwood, Virginia, was charged with attempting to coerce a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography and traveling in interstate commerce for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a minor.



The investigation began after the parents of a minor female informed local a law enforcement agency that McKnight had contacted their daughter on social media and began sending messages of a sexual nature to her. During the undercover investigation, McKnight attempted to get the minor to send him sexually explicit depictions of her and to meet for sex. McKnight drove from Virginia to Tennessee for the purpose of having sex with the girl.



“This prosecution represents part of our efforts to work with law enforcement agencies to protect children from persons who try to groom children online for child pornography and other illicit purposes,” said J. Douglas Overbey, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Tennessee. U.S. Attorney Overbey encourages parents to be vigilant concerning the online activities of their children. “These predators operate from the shadows of the internet, pretend to befriend young people, and then prey upon the minors’ vulnerability to induce them to send sexual images and videos, unbeknownst to their parents.”



The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from Claiborne County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew T. Morris and Jennifer Kolman represented the United States in Court.



18 U.S.C. § 2251 - Attempt to produce child pornography WITH FORFEITURE ALLEGATIONS

(3)



18 U.S.C. § 2423(b) Travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct -WITH FORFEITURE ALLEGATIONS

(4)

Defendant sentenced to a total term of imprisonment of 180 months, this sentence consists of terms of 180 months as to each of Counts 3 and 4 of the Indictment; such terms to be served concurrently; a term of supervised release of 15 years, This term consists of 15 years as to each of Counts 3 and 4 of the Indictment, to be served concurrently; a special assessment fee of $200.00