Ex-ABC journalist charged in child sexual exploitation case
A well- known former investigative journalist for ABC News has been arrested on a charge of “transporting” images depicting the sexual abuse of children, the Department of Justice said on Wednesday.
James Gordon Meek, 53, of Arlington, Virginia, who covered national security and the military, was arrested Tuesday, months after his home was searched by federal authorities.
Authorities found images of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct on electronic devices taken from his home. Authorities also discovered multiple conversations in which “participants expressed enthusiasm for the sexual abuse of children,” according to court papers.
He faces a charge of transportation of child pornography, which calls for a minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison, officials said. An email seeking comment was sent to Meek’s attorney.
ABC News declined to comment Wednesday. Meek resigned from ABC News last year.
The FBI’s investigation was prompted by a tip from Dropbox about videos showing the sexual abuse of children found in March 2021 in an account that was associated with Meek, according to court papers. Federal authorities searched his home in April.
Investigators also found that Meek engaged with minors on platforms like Snapchat, according to court documents. A minor interviewed by law enforcement told authorities that Meek approached her through Snapchat and pressured her to provide sexually explicit photos, according to court papers.
Meek joined ABC News’ Washington bureau as an investigative producer in 2013. He previously worked for the New York Daily News and also served as senior counterterrorism adviser and investigator for the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security.
He recently was a writer and narrator for “3212 Un- redacted,” a Hulu documentary released in 2021 that stemmed from a years-long investigation by ABC into the deaths of four U.S. Special Forces soldiers in Africa.