U.S. Attorney Dena J. King announced that Chad Joseph Caesar, 39, of
Hickory, N.C., was sentenced to 132 months in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised
release yesterday, for receipt of child pornography.
Cardell T. Morant, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in North
Carolina and South Carolina, and Chief Reed Baer of the Hickory Police Department (HPD) join
U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.
According to court documents and the sentencing hearing, in February 2023, HPD was notified
that Caesar’s computer had been flagged by his employer for a security violation. The HPD
initiated an investigation, which led to the execution of a search warrant at Caesar’s residence.
Law enforcement seized Caesar’s electronic devices, which were analyzed forensically. The
analysis revealed that Caesar’s devices contained an extensive inventory of child pornography –
more than 50,000 images and videos – depicting the sexual abuse of children, including infants
and toddlers, and files that contained sadistic and masochistic conduct and bestiality.
Also, court records show that Caesar’s collection of child pornography included images and
videos of over 250 victims who have previously been identified by name. Many of those
identified victims submitted victim impact statements for the Court’s consideration at sentencing.
Judge Bell, commenting on those victim impact statements at sentencing, noted that “When you
read their letters they are forever abused … They live in fear for the rest of their lives.”
On December 6, 2023, Caesar pleaded guilty to receipt of child pornography.
Caesar will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a
designated federal Bureau of Prisons’ facility.
