HSI Charleston Investigation Lands West Virginia Sex Offender Over 7 Years in Prison for Possession of Child Pornography

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — An investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Charleston landed a convicted sex offender in federal prison Aug. 22 for more than seven years for possessing child sexual abuse material. Benson Cline II, 49, of Cedar Grove, received a sentence of seven years and eight months in federal prison to be followed by 20 years of supervised release. Cline was additionally ordered to pay $8,800 in restitution following his conviction for possession of prepubescent child pornography.

“Benson Cline is a sexual predator, who has displayed a disturbing trend of victimizing children,” said HSI Washington, D.C. Special Agent in Charge Derek W. Gordon. “His proclivities have proven that Cline posed a serious threat to any child with whom he comes into contact. HSI Washington, D.C. will continue to work tirelessly to rid our communities of such deviant criminals.”

According to the HSI Charleston investigation, from about July 24, 2023, until about November 6, 2023, Cline possessed 22 images and 134 videos of child sexual abuse material on an instant messaging app account that he accessed through his cellphone.

The child sexual abuse material included digital files depicting infant, toddler and prepubescent males and females being sexually assaulted and also included instances of bestiality, sadomasochism and torture.

Cline is a registered sex offender as a result of a February 2011 conviction for soliciting a minor via computer.

This investigation was conducted by HSI Washington, D.C.’s Charleston field office. The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. attorneys’ offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. 

Anyone with information regarding sexual crimes against children is encouraged to call the HSI Tip Line at 877-4-HSI-TIP.

Learn more about HSI’s mission to increase public safety in your community on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @HSI_DC.