Montgomery County man sentenced for fondling minor while producing child pornography
HOUSTON - A 39-year-old Montgomery County resident has been sentenced for sexually exploiting a child and possession of child pornography, according to U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
James Aubrey Zachary Wasson pled guilty on September 27, 2023.
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As a result of the plea, Wasson was sentenced to 360 months and 120 months for the sexual exploitation and production convictions, respectively. Those sentences will run concurrently for a total 30-year-term behind bars.
At the hearing, the court heard from the victim’s mother detailing how Wasson’s actions caused the child to suffer nightmares. In handing down the prison terms, the court acknowledged that the sentence was "life altering for a reason," nothing that the victim’s life will never be the same. The judge also rejected Wasson’s excuse that he exploited the child because of a drug addiction, commenting that drug abuse does not lead preying upon children.
Wasson was further ordered to pay $29,000 in restitution to multiple victims and will serve 10 years on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Wasson will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
"Wasson shattered a little girl’s life," said Hamdani. "Today’s sentence cannot give her back the life she should have had, but it does ensure Wasson cannot hurt other children for a very long time."
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Authorities identified Wasson after discovering over 500 files of child pornography he had uploaded between March 2019 and March 2021. One folder contained a series of 51 photographs, all taken on a single date in December 2020. Some showed him in a state of sexual arousal next to a minor female child. He also appeared to be fondling her under her clothing.
A subsequent search of Wasson’s cell phone confirmed it was the device he used to produce the series of sexually explicit photographs. The cell phone also contained other files of child pornography taken between May 2020 and May 2021.
The minor victim also identified Wasson and recalled when he took the photographs.
Wasson will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.