Parkersburg Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography Charge

 CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Parkersburg man pleaded guilty today to distribution of child pornography.

According to court documents, Timothy Paul Rapson, 39, admitted to distributing child pornography on December 31, 2019 using a peer-to-peer file sharing program. The investigation further revealed that Rapson possessed over 73,000 images and videos of prepubescent child pornography.

Rapson pleaded guilty to distribution of prepubescent minor child pornography and faces up to 20 years in prison when sentenced on July 26, 2021.

Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and praised the investigative work of the Parkersburg Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Julie M. White is handling the prosecution.

Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearing. 

This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:20-cr-000175.