A Columbia County man has been sentenced to seven years in federal prison for possession of child sexual abuse material, following a joint investigation by federal and local law enforcement.
Perry Jason Ward, 27, of Evans, was sentenced on Thursday to 84 months in prison after pleading guilty to possessing thousands of images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation of children. The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Margaret E. Heap for the Southern District of Georgia.
U.S. District Court Judge J. Randal Hall also ordered Ward to register as a sex offender, pay $96,000 in restitution, pay $200 in special assessments, and serve 15 years of supervised release following his prison term.
“Protecting our children means stopping the creation and distribution of any materials that sexually exploit them,” said U.S. Attorney Heap. “Thanks to the work of our law enforcement partners, Defendant Ward is being held responsible for his reprehensible actions.”
According to court documents, Ward used the internet to obtain 45,792 images and 4,609 videos containing child sexual abuse material. The collection included images of infants, toddlers, and pre-pubescent children, some of whom were subjected to bondage and other extreme abuse.
The case began in October 2023 when the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office received multiple CyberTips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Acting on those tips, investigators obtained a search warrant and executed it at Ward’s residence, where the illicit material was found.
Ward is also facing additional charges related to other conduct in Columbia County Superior Court.
“Crimes that exploit children are among the most disturbing cases we investigate,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown. “This sentence reflects our commitment to pursuing those who traffic in child sexual abuse material and ensuring they are held accountable. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to protect children and remove predators from our communities.”
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason W. Blanchard for the Southern District of Georgia.
Anyone with information about suspected child sexual exploitation is encouraged to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 800-843-5678 or report online at https://report.cybertip.org
