Former Editor-in-Chief of Left-Leaning News Site Arrested for Child Pornography
Slade Sohmer, the former editor-in-chief of The Recount, a left-leaning news website, has been arrested on charges related to child pornography. The 44-year-old Massachusetts resident is accused of possessing and distributing hundreds of child abuse material, including explicit images depicting the rape of a child who was approximately four years old.
Authorities executed a search warrant at Sohmer’s home and discovered evidence on his devices, leading to his arrest. He was released on $100,000 bail after pleading not guilty to two counts of possession of child pornography and two counts of dissemination of child pornography. As part of his release conditions, Sohmer has been prohibited from accessing the internet, must engage in location notifications with a parole officer, and is not allowed to have any contact with minors.
According to investigators, the case took a disturbing turn when they found footage of Sohmer allegedly instructing a minor to perform sexual acts. The court documents also revealed that the investigation originated from a report made by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children regarding a suspicious video shared on Snapchat in September 2022. The video’s IP address led the police to Sohmer’s residence.
Further reports stated that the footage recovered during the investigation showed graphic acts involving boys as young as four being raped and forced to engage in oral sex acts by adults. It was also revealed that Sohmer had previously worked as a camp counselor for a nonprofit organization in New York.
Sohmer had held the position of editor-in-chief at The Recount for four years until last month when he was removed from his role after the probe began. He had also worked at other media outlets such as Mic and SiriusXM radio and co-founded the news site Hyper Vocal.
Assistant District Attorney Marianne Shelvey described the case as one of the most heinous she has seen, highlighting the transition from dissemination to production of child pornography. Notably, Buzzfeed has removed a 2018 article about Sohmer titled People Are Touched By This Writer’s Conversation With A Bunch Of Fourth Graders.
Sohmer’s court hearing is scheduled for December 21, and if convicted on all charges, he could face a mandatory sentence of 15 years. The parent company of The Recount, The News Movement, stated that Sohmer is no longer the editor-in-chief following a recent company restructure.
This arrest highlights the severity of child pornography crimes and serves as a reminder of the ongoing efforts to combat such offenses. Authorities continue to prioritize the protection of minors and the prosecution of individuals involved in these heinous acts.
