MARYLAND MAN CONVICTED ON FEDERAL CHILD EXPLOITATION CHARGES AFTER INVESTIGATORS RECOVER THOUSANDS OF SNAPCHAT MESSAGES

HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA — A federal jury has convicted a Maryland man on three child exploitation charges following a three-day trial involving evidence of online sexual exploitation, child sexual abuse material, and thousands of Snapchat communications with a minor victim in Alabama.

Donald Bernard Mewhort Sr., 42, of Lexington Park, Maryland, was found guilty of one count of sexual exploitation of children, one count of coercion and enticement of a minor, and one count of transferring obscene matter to a minor. The verdict was returned before U.S. District Judge Liles C. Burke, according to an October 30, 2026, announcement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama.

In January 2026, the Limestone County Sheriff’s Office received information concerning the sexual exploitation of a child. On January 15, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) received two CyberTipline reports from Snapchat identifying 11 files containing child sexual abuse material, including images of the victim.

Federal investigators identified Mewhort as a resident of Lexington Park, Maryland. On February 5, 2026, FBI agents executed a search warrant at his residence and seized multiple electronic devices, including his cellphone. A forensic examination uncovered images and videos containing child sexual abuse material, along with thousands of saved Snapchat messages exchanged with the victim. The communications, including material depicting the child, were admitted into evidence during the federal trial.

The victim also testified against Mewhort in court. U.S. Attorney Phillip W. Williams Jr. praised her courage in confronting the individual responsible for exploiting her and acknowledged the importance of her participation in the prosecution. Her testimony formed part of the evidence presented during the proceedings, which concluded with guilty verdicts on all three charges.

The prosecution also incorporated a specialized victim-support measure through the Alabama Office of Prosecution Services. An emotional support dog named Gallant, trained to recognize distress and provide comfort, accompanied the victim and her family before and after her testimony. With the court’s permission, Gallant helped the child manage her initial distress before taking the witness stand. Williams described the arrangement as successful and indicated that prosecutors intend to consider similar assistance in future cases involving vulnerable witnesses.

FBI Birmingham Special Agent in Charge David R. Fitzgibbons credited the combined investigative efforts of federal, state, and local authorities in Alabama and Maryland. The investigation involved the FBI Birmingham and Baltimore field offices, Limestone County Sheriff’s Office, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, and St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office in Leonardtown, Maryland.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys R. Leann White and Michael Lewis prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative established in May 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. The program coordinates law enforcement investigations, prosecutions, and victim identification efforts involving offenses committed through the internet and other means.

Mewhort’s conviction establishes his guilt on all three federal charges. The Justice Department’s October 30 announcement did not specify a sentencing date.

Members of the public who suspect child sexual exploitation can contact the FBI Birmingham Field Office at 205-326-6166 or submit reports to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s CyberTipline.

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