Man admits possessing child porn

NORRISTOWN » An Abington man has admitted to possessing child pornography on his cellphone.

James Wheelock, 50, of the 200 block of Keswick Avenue, in the Glenside section of Abington, pleaded guilty in Montgomery County Court to two felony charges including sex abuse of children possessing child pornography and criminal use of a communication facility in connection with a November 2017 incident.

Judge Todd D. Eisenberg deferred sentencing so that court officials can prepare a background investigative report about Wheelock. The judge said Wheelock can remain free on bail pending his sentencing hearing later this year.

Wheelock faces a possible maximum sentence of seven to 14 years in prison on the charges. However, state sentencing guidelines could allow for a lesser sentence.

The investigation began in November 2017 after a witness contacted police and provided authorities with two images obtained from Wheelock’s cellphone. The images depicted children under the age of 18 engaged in sexual acts or poses, according to the criminal complaint filed by Abington Detective Rick Beaghley.

On Nov. 22, a search warrant was executed for Wheelock’s residence and electronic devices, including his cellphone, court documents indicate.

“Wheelock stated he knew why the police was there, as he was viewing underage children that were naked on the Internet,” Beaghley wrote in the arrest affidavit. “Asked if the images were child pornography, Wheelock replied, ‘Yes.’”

A forensic examination of the items seized uncovered 45 images of child pornography on Wheelock’s cellphone, as well as messages between Wheelock and another person in which they spoke about wanting to sexually assault a 7-yearold child and an 8-monthold baby, according to the criminal complaint.