Monfort

BUCKHANNON — An Upshur County man is behind bars and accused of possessing both child pornography and illegal drugs.

John Patterson Monfort, 23, of Buckhannon, has been charged with possession of child sexual abuse material, possession of cocaine and possession of tramadol.

He is being held in the Tygart Valley Regional Jail on a $30,000 cash-only bond.

According to the criminal complaint, prepared by Trooper C.D. Harper of the West Virginia State Police, a residential search warrant was executed at Monfort’s residence by Harper. The search was in reference to an ongoing child sexual abuse material investigation.

In searching Monfort’s cell phone, Harper found one photograph and three “short video clips” that “are Child Sexual Abuse Material as defined by WV State Code,” the complaint states.

According to the complaint, state code mandates that child sexual abuse material files “equate to 226 images.”

If convicted of the possession of child sexual abuse material charge, Monfort could be sentenced to from two to 10 years in prison, and fined up to $5,000, the complaint states.

According to a second criminal complaint, prepared by Corporal F.J. Turansky of the State Police, during the search, a pair of pants belonging to Monfort was found with a metal tin inside, containing a “white powdery substance believed to be cocaine.”

Also inside the tin were five white oval pills that were “identified as Tramadol Hydrochloride 50 mg,” the complaint states.

If convicted of the cocaine possession charge, Monfort could be sentenced to from one to 15 years in prison, and fined up to $25,000, according to the complaint.