Former Virginia Tech Professor Michael Horning Sentenced to 60 Months for Child Pornography

Michael Horning, a former communications professor at Virginia Tech, has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for possessing child pornography. The 51-year-old, who pled guilty in September 2024, was found to have downloaded child pornography from 2009 to 2021 using peer-to-peer filesharing software. Upon the seizure of his devices in December 2021, authorities discovered 663 images and 14 videos of child pornography, including material involving infants and toddlers, as well as depictions of sadomasochism. The case was part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative aimed at combating child sexual exploitation. The investigation was conducted by the FBI, and the prosecution was led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Scheff. Acting U.S. Attorney Zachary T. Lee announced the sentencing, emphasizing the severity of the offenses.