Former Kinston City Councilman Will Barker will be sentenced Thursday, Sept. 5 in Wilmington after pleading guilty to one federal charge of receipt of child pornography in April.
Barker was originally subject to 10 state-level counts of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. A further investigation revealed, according to the U.S. Department of Justice, “more than 4,000 images and 100 videos of child pornography” on a laptop seized by authorities.
Barker’s case moved from state court to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina under the DOJ program Project Safe Childhood.
The program is an intergovernmental collaboration to facilitate the prosecution of people suspected of the sexual exploitation of children.
Don Connelly, public information officer with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, said between the plea and sentencing, U.S. District Court Judge James C. Fox ordered Barker to be held in the Brunswick County Detention Center in Bolivia.
Barker faces between five and 20 years in federal prison, up to a $250,000 fine and supervised release. He’ll also have to register as a sex offender in North Carolina.
The sentencing hearings for Barker and five other cases begin at 10 a.m. at the U.S. Courthouse on 2 Princess St. in Wilmington.
Wes Wolfe can be reached at 252-559-1075 and Wes.Wolfe@Kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter @WolfeReports.