Former House staffer pleads guilty to receiving child porn

A former House staffer has pled guilty to one count of receiving child pornography.

{mosads}Before a federal district court judge in Texas Wednesday, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said James Maines, Jr., 54, admitted that he had attempted to forward five child exploitation images from his personal email account to his U.S. House of Representatives email account in November 2012.

Mains also reportedly admitted to receiving these and other images of children via the Internet. The DOJ said a forensic analysis of his computer revealed a number of child exploitation images, some of which had been downloaded as early as 2004.

Maines, who served as deputy district director for Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas), is scheduled for sentencing on March 16 before a federal district court judge in Texas.

“James Maines Jr. has pled guilty to a federal criminal charge,” Barton said in a brief statement Wednesday. “I and my office have cooperated with law enforcement officials investigating the matter. Mr. Maines is no longer a member of my staff.”