This browser does not support the Video element.
HOUSTON - A former Harris County Sheriff's Office sergeant has pleaded guilty to five counts of attempted transfer of obscene material to minors, federal officials say.
Harris County deputy charged
The backstory:
In January, John Fredrick Black, 46, was accused of sending obscene material of himself to an undercover detective whom he believed to be a 13-year-old child.
According to the Leon County Sheriff’s Office in Florida, detectives with their Human Exploitation and Trafficking Unit began chatting online with Black in January while posing as a 13-year-old child. Even after being told he was talking to a minor, Black continued communicating with the person and sent obscene material of himself to the undercover detective, the Leon County Sheriff’s Office said.
Dig deeper:
LCSO says Black was employed as a sergeant at the Harris County Sheriff’s Office at the time of his arrest. He was relieved of duty by the sheriff’s office.
What they're saying:
John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the guilty plea.
"I truly appreciate the dedication of our state and federal law enforcement partners to target, identify, and incapacitate the sexual predators, like this defendant, seeking to sexually exploit and victimize kids online," U.S. Attorney Heekin said. "My office is committed to aggressively prosecuting those sick individuals to ensure they are locked away behind federal bars where they belong."
Black awaits sentencing
What's next:
Black will be sentenced in federal court on Dec. 3. He faces up to 10 years in prison for each count.
The Source: The information in this article comes from a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida. Background information comes from a press release from the Leon County Sheriff's Office in January.