Former ABC News reporter James Gordon Meek, a prominent figure in national security journalism, is set to change his plea to guilty in a disconcerting child pornography case, Your Content has learned.
The 53-year-old journalist is scheduled to appear in a Virginia federal court this week for a “change of plea hearing” before U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton in Alexandria, Va.
Initially pleading innocent to the child pornography charges, Meek has negotiated a plea deal with federal prosecutors. Opting for this deal may result in a more lenient sentence compared to the minimum of five years and maximum of 20 years in prison he could have faced if convicted at trial.
The shocking charges against Meek came to light in February following a raid on his Arlington residence in April 2022, where federal authorities seized his electronic devices. Dropbox had alerted officials about the presence of child pornography content on Meek’s account, sparking the investigation.
Alarming conversations discovered on Meek’s phone indicated his disturbing intentions towards children, including explicit photos and videos. Evidence of child pornography images and videos on his other devices, as well as conversations with minors on various chat platforms, raised further concern about his potential danger to young individuals.
Meek’s career in journalism had been highly regarded before these unsettling events unfolded. In 2006, he made headlines by breaking the news about an al-Qaeda plot to bomb New York City’s tunnels while working at the New York Daily News.
His expertise in national security also led to important roles in counterterrorism advisory and investigation.Despite his past achievements, the charges led to Meek’s prompt resignation from ABC News.
As the date for the change of plea hearing approaches, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Virginia has confirmed the scheduled proceeding, while Meek’s criminal defense attorney has refrained from commenting on the case, according to Western Journal.