A 36-year-old Mt. Vernon man has been sentenced to 30 years in prison after entering a guilty plea in Jefferson County Court to five Class X counts of child pornography.
James Hembree was sentenced to six years on each count, with all the terms to be served consecutively for the 30 year total.
Hembree was arrested on July 3rd after the Mt. Vernon Police/Jefferson County Joint Narcotics Unit served a search warrant on his home on Harrison Street. Hembree was initially arrested for possession of methamphetamine. But as the investigation continued into a tip initially received by the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force in late June, Hembree had the five counts added for alleged dissemination of child porn.
As part of the plea, the possession of meth charge was dropped.
