FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 15, 2006

Registered Sex Offender convicted in Child Pornography trial

State Attorney Steve Meadows announces the conviction, in Bay County Circuit Court, of Richard Jason Cox on a charge of possession of the sexual performance of a child(child pornography).

Cox, 27, of Sherman Avenue in Panama City, was found guilty as charged after the three man, three woman jury deliberated about one hour and 45 minutes. Sentencing is set for November 30. Cox faces five years in prison.

Assistant State Attorney Barbara Adams presented to the jury an explicit video which depicted a teenaged boy in sexual situations. Neither the boy nor the adult in the video were identified. The video was recovered from a computer hard drive belonging to Cox.

Investigator Jeremy Mathis, of the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, had communicated with Cox, by internet, while posing as a young boy. Cox was acquitted, on Tuesday, of a charge of soliciting a minor by internet.

Cox is a registered sexual offender and his photograph can be found on the Florida Department of Law Enforcement sexual predator/sexual offender website: http://www.fdle.state.fl.us/