18 years for possessing child porn
Posted/updated on: February 10, 2026 at 4:34 pm
GLADEWATER – A Gregg County man was sentenced to 18 years in prison for possession of child pornography on Thursday. Elijah Paul Leggett, 24 of Gilmer, was first arrested for possession of less than 50 depictions or videos of child pornography on March 18, 2025, after a CyberTip came into the Gregg County Sheriff’s Office on Aug. 29, 2024, according to our news partner KETK.
The CyberTip showed that a user on the social media app Kik had uploaded 34 videos of child pornography. The tip showed that the videos were all uploaded from the same IP address and a sheriff’s office investigator was able to identify Leggett as a suspect. The investigator got a search warrant for Leggett’s residence in Gladewater and his residence was then searched on Oct. 2, 2024. Leggett’s affidavit shows that during the search, the investigator interviewed him after he had waived his right to an attorney.
During that interview, Leggett admitted to possessing the videos, watching them and deleting them, according to his arrest affidavit. Leggett claimed in the interview that he had downloaded the child pornography in order to report the social media users who had uploaded it.
Leggett was asked if he had ever reported the videos to law enforcement but the affidavit said he never did.
Leggett waived his right to a jury trial in this case and pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography in the 124th District Court on Thursday. His 18-year prison sentence started on Thursday.
