MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – An investigation sparked by the West Virginia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force resulted in a months-long probe that uncovered more than 600 sexually explicit images involving children in possession of a Morgantown man.
Detectives from the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Department were initially notified in April 2023 that an account belonging to Ashton Sopuch uploaded material related to child pornography from the Discord messaging platform.
Detectives said there were several images of Sopuch in addition to the pornographic material involving children on the device.
During an interview in June with Sopuch, he admitted to having Discord accounts, and he did own the device, which may still have the images on it.
The Digital Forensic Unit from the West Virginia State Police confirmed the device contained more than 600 images and videos of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Sopuch has been charged with the display or exhibition of material depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct and is being held in lieu of a $50,000 bond in the North Central Regional Jail.