VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — A Virginia Beach man has pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography, prosecutors said.
According to the Department of Justice, back in November of 2016, Canadian authorities identified 27-year-old Zachary Clouse as a person who had been posting sexually explicit images of minors on an Internet bulletin board.
Court documents say Clouse went by the online handle "Boylover9" and asked for violent videos of children being sexually abused from other members of the forum, while also posting images himself.
Prosecutors say that later, in 2018, a Virginia Beach resident answered a Craigslist advertisement Clouse posted looking for a “sick perverted boyfriend.”
The person reported Clouse to Virginia Beach Police after Clouse sent text messages about trying to kidnap a child.
Prosecutors say Clouse admitted to both incidents when he was interviewed by special agents with Homeland Security Investigations. Clouse's cell phones were also searched by law enforcement, which found additional images of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
Clouse pleaded guilty on Tuesday and faces a maximum of 20 years in prison when he is sentenced on March 16, 2021.
