CROFTON, MD—A Crofton man who used to work at a Maryland private school has pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography.

Jay Gordon, 55, of Crofton, this week pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography. Gordon was identified as a suspect in the trafficking of child sexual abuse material (“CSAM”), also called child pornography, during a nationwide investigation involving the receipt and distribution of CSAM via Dark Web sites and forum.

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron and Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore.

According to his guilty plea, during the investigation, Gordon’s Internet Protocol (IP) address was found to access Dark Web sites. A search warrant was executed at Gordon’s residence and law enforcement seized numerous computer devices that Gordon admitted belonged to him. Preliminary forensic analysis showed multiple images of CSAM. Initially, Gordon declined to specify where he worked in Washington, DC, but the investigators determined that he worked in the IT department of a private school.

As detailed in his plea agreement, a subsequent forensic examination of some of the seized devices showed thousands of videos and still images of child pornography. Some of Gordon’s devices were secured in a manner that precluded forensic analysis. The CSAM found on the devices was arranged in well- organized folders and reflected years of activity. Gordon also used an application that facilitated anonymous web browsing. Some of the images in Gordon’s collection were of prepubescent minors. Forensic examination of computers that Gordon used at his work location indicated that he also accessed Dark Web sites relating to CSAM on those devices, which were also connected to digital media that showed connection to computer devices seized from Gordon’s home.

Gordon faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison followed by up to lifetime supervised release for possession of child pornography. U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman has scheduled sentencing for October 17, 2022 at 1:00 p.m. Upon his release from prison, Gordon will be required to register as a sex offender in the places where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”).

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