EDITOR’S NOTE: This story contains details of alleged crimes involving child sexual abuse that readers may find extremely disturbing. Reader discretion is strongly advised.
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) – Federal prosecutors have filed their argument against granting bond for a Charleston County magistrate judge charged with possessing child sexual abuse material.
James B. Gosnell Jr., 68, faces charges of possession of child sexual abuse material, according to the United States Department of Justice.
While prosecutors have not said how many potential counts he may face, a legal brief filed Monday morning states that Gosnell confessed to possessing the material, but also alleges that Gosnell used his phone to communicate with another person from whom he sent PayPal payments for the material.
Court documents also allege that Gosnell communicated with another man “with a shared interest in pedophilia,” describing “unimaginably explicit conversations” that suggest the judge was romantically involved with the man and that “their romantic interests involved abusing children together.”
In one of those conversations, prosecutors allege that Gosnell and the other man plan a trip for Gosnell to visit him in Florida for the two to “jointly rape and torture” the infant son of a family member of the other man.
The filing also states that Gosnell’s conversations on Telegram “reveal numerous instances in which he raped and abused children.”
Prosecutors say in one conversation, Gosnell described abusing a five-month-old in public in his neighborhood and later sent a selfie of himself and a 2-year-old child with the message, “my new buddy.” Court documents allege that Gosnell claimed to have sexually assaulted the girl two weeks earlier.
Conversations reveal that Gosnell described traveling to Puerto Vallerta to have sex with a 2-year-old and a 5-year-old and that other international travel was made for the purpose of engaging in sex with children.
The state argues in the legal brief that Gosnell should not be granted bond because of the conduct in the case, which prosecutors describe as being “of the most reprehensible sort,” as well as the weight of the evidence prosecutors say they have.
They also argue his position of trust as a magistrate judge weighs against him because “his long-time role in the criminal justice system.”
“Gosnell has immense insight into the workings of law enforcement and the court system, which makes him well situated to avoid detection if he were to further offend or to flee,” prosecutors said.
Because he faces “a certain substantial prison sentence and the loss of any stature or prestige he held in the community” and risks to his personal safety in prison, this combination of factors “creates a substantial incentive for defendant to flee,” the filing states.
Gosnell’s attorney, Lionel Lofton, filed a motion for bond on Sunday, arguing that the evidence provided thus far proved to be an isolated incident with no pattern of inappropriate behavior from Gosnell, and that he has no criminal history or any alleged inappropriate activity with minors.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The federal government’s filing is below. It contains graphic details of alleged crimes against Gosnell, which readers may find extremely disturbing. Reader discretion is strongly advised.