ZANESVILLE, Ohio (TCD) — A 52-year-old man will spend the rest of his life in prison for child rape and possessing over 2,000 images of child sexual abuse material.
According to a news release from the Muskingum County Prosecutor’s Office, in November 2022, investigators searched James McCormick’s home and recovered a hard drive, which contained the photos and videos of child sexual abuse material.
McCormick initially confessed to officials that he possessed the child sex abuse material, but he “denied sexually assaulting any children.”
However, the Prosecutor’s Office said, “The FBI found video clips showing McCormick orally and digitally raping a child after removing her diaper.”
McCormick reportedly showed no remorse, and when he was interviewed, he said that “raping and exploiting the toddler was part of a ‘noble’ attempt to catch sexual predators,” and he “received no sexual gratification.”
McCormick pleaded guilty to two first-degree felony counts of rape and two second-degree felony counts of pandering obscenity involving a minor. On Tuesday, March 7, the Prosecutor’s Office announced he was sentenced to serve two consecutive life sentences without parole.
In court, Prosecutor Ron Welch said, “In 25 years of prosecuting, I felt I had heard every conceivable excuse, justification or description a defendant could offer to minimize the crime committed. Most are ridiculous, some are far-fetched, a few have even been comical. Then there are the select few which generate outrage.”
Welch also said, “If a harsher penalty was legally allowable, our office would have requested it.”
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