Former ABC News producer James Gordon Meek pleaded guilty Friday to transportation and possession of child sexual abuse material.
The former ABC producer is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 29. He is facing up to 40 years in prison. The mandatory minimum penalty is five years.
According to court documents, in 2020 Meek utilized messaging app Kik to engage in conversations with two different individuals. During conversations on the internet-based messaging platform, Meek corresponded with users who “expressed enthusiasm for the sexual abuse of children,” the DOJ said.
“During the course of these conversations,” court documents read, Meek “sent and received sexually explicit images and videos depicting minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.” This included images and videos of minors under the age of 12.
According to a press release from the Department of Justice, Meek’s phone contained horrifying footage of “an infant being raped.”
Meek traveled across state lines with the child pornography on his phone, accounting for the transportation charge.
Meek was arrested on Jan. 31 on criminal charges related to the then-alleged transportation and possession of child pornography.
The ABC News producer had been working for the network for nine years before abruptly resigning after an FBI raid took place at his home. Meek has contributed to ABC programs such as “Nightline,” “20/20,” and more. He has been nominated for four Emmy awards, winning one in 2017.
Pamela Chelin contributed to this report.
