MCDOWELL COUNTY, N.C. (WLOS) — A man previously convicted on sexual exploitation charges was sentenced Tuesday to 16 years for the distribution of child sexual abuse material.
Justin Matthew Adkins, 40, of Marion, was sentenced to 192 months (16 years) in prison and will also serve a lifetime of supervised release and must register as a sex offender upon his release, the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) announced.
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Court records show that Adkins was previously convicted of second-degree exploitation of a minor in Buncombe County and had served prison time. He was released from state custody in April 2023 and was to remain under post-release supervision until 2028.
However, in November 2023, law enforcement from the North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections, the MCSO, and the U.S. Marshals Service conducted a probation search. They found that Adkins possessed child sexual abuse material on electronic devices.
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A computer forensic analyst with Homeland Security Investigations analyzed Adkins’s devices, uncovering thousands of child sexual abuse material images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of prepubescent children, according to MCSO. The analysis also showed that Adkins distributed child sexual abuse material online.
Adkins pleaded guilty to the distribution of child pornography on Dec. 18, 2024.
He is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to a federal facility upon designation.
