A Broward County man has been arrested on charges of child pornography possession and distribution in a case that has ensnared a South Carolina judge as well. 56-year-old John Thorpe Badger, was detained with a federal arrest warrant, with the Department of Homeland Security stepping in due to the nature of the alleged offenses.
According to NBC Miami, the investigation into Badger was part of a larger focus on serious felony crimes not connected to immigration issues. Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at the Department of Homeland Security, elucidated the gravity of the crime, stating, “ICE Homeland Security Investigations executed a federal search warrant against John Badger Thorpe for child pornography distribution. HSI arrested this child predator on November 9. Under Secretary Noem, we will always defend our most vulnerable and get pedophiles off American streets.”
Details from a Miami Herald report indicate that Badger's illicit activities involved a partnership with Charleston County Magistrate Judge James Benjamin Gosnell, Jr., leading to both men's arrests. Conversations over Telegram between Badger and the 68-year-old Gosnell revealed a shared sexual interest in children alongside the exchange of abuse material, as indicated by the federal arrest papers.
The collaboration escalated when the two discussed using a USB drive for the storage and exchange of the sickening material. Prosecutors say that Gosnell made the trip to Florida to personally deliver the drive—which included content showing "infant and toddlers being raped and tortured,"—which they viewed together. Gosnell, who is currently suspended from judicial duties, was later sent back the USB by Badger through FedEx, demonstrating the men's commitment to their nefarious activities. The prosecutors also noted that the duo discussed arranging meetups with other individuals with similar criminal inclinations, as noted by the Miami Herald.
Currently, Thorpe is confined at the Broward County Jail as proceedings are being arranged for his extradition to South Carolina. The legal processes will transpire in federal court in Charleston, where both men face multiple charges. Gosnell has pleaded not guilty and was denied bond, while Thorpe is still awaiting trial on the nine federal charges related to the possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material.
