MACON, Ga. – A former truck driver and Georgia resident was sentenced to serve more than 15 years in prison for distributing hundreds of thousands of images of child [censored]ography depicting the sexual abuse of infants, toddlers and minor children.
Stanley Joseph Weaver, 61, formerly of McDonough (Henry County), Georgia, and currently of Jackson (Butts County), Georgia, was sentenced to serve 188 months in prison to be followed by ten years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Tilman E. “Tripp” Self after he previously pleaded guilty to distribution of child [censored]ography. In addition, Weaver will have to register as a sex offender for life upon release from prison. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Stanley Weaver victimized children every time he viewed and shared these [censored]ographic images, which he did hundreds of thousands of times,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “The penalty is high for child predators, including those who actively view and share child [censored]ography. Our office is committed to prioritizing these cases and holding individuals accountable for their crimes against children.”
“The extensive number of times that Weaver shared [censored]ographic images of young children is sickening,” said Philip Wislar, Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Identifying and prosecuting predators who not only victimize innocent children, but continuously share those horrific images for others to see, is one of the highest priorities of the FBI.”
According to court documents, FBI agents determined Weaver distributed child [censored]ography on publicly available peer-to-peer sharing software to FBI undercover agents on multiple occasions, most recently on Jan. 12, 2021. Weaver was taken into custody on Jan. 23, 2021. Weaver shared a total of 342,756 files (524.8 GB) of child [censored]ography involving prepubescent minors, infants and toddlers, and sadomasochism during two interactions with undercover agents plus a combined 54 images and six videos of child [censored]ography during two more interactions with a foreign law enforcement partner.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The case was investigated by the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katelyn Semales and Criminal Chief Michael Solis prosecuted the case.