Rusk man gets 8 years for child porn

GORDON MATHIS A Rusk man has been sentenced to 97 months in federal prison for possession of material involving sexual exploitation of minors in the Eastern District of Texas.

Gordon Neal Mathis, 42, of Rusk, was sentenced Nov. 14 by U.S. District Judge Leonard Davis in Tyler.

Mr. Mathis pleaded guilty in April to possession of two personal computers which contained visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. His computers were seized during a search of his home after Cherokee County law enforcement officers were notified Nov. 15, 2006, that a 12-year-old girl had reported being sexually assaulted for a number of months.

Law enforcement authorities were notified at that time that Mathis was in possession of child pornography. Pursuant to a consent to search, officers seized computers and compact disks for forensic analysis from Mathis' residence. This analysis revealed more than 300 digital images and 10 video clips involving minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

Aggravated sexual assault of a child charges are pending in Cherokee County. District Attorney Elmer Beckworth declined to comment on the case as it is has not been tried. Rachel Patton is lead prosecutor and Don Killingsworth will represent Mr. Mathis.

The Cherokee County Sheriff's Department also declined to release any information concerning the local charges.

Mr. Killingsworth was also Mr. Mathis' attorney in federal court. Prosecutor was U.S. Attorney John L. Ratcliffe, assisted by Gregg Marchessault.