Former editor of liberal news outlet charged with multiple counts of child pornography

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A former editor for the left-leaning website The Recount has reportedly been charged with multiple counts of child pornography.

According to Massachusetts authorities, 44-year-old Slade Sohmer has pleaded not guilty to two counts of possession of child pornography and two counts of dissemination of child pornography.

Sohmer was arrested at his residence in Otis, Mass., on Friday, several weeks after law enforcement obtained a search warrant and confiscated his personal electronic devices.

An investigation into Sohmer was started after authorities received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Authorities later traced the content in the lead to the IP address of Sohmer’s home internet.

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Slade Sohmer allegedly disseminated "hundreds of child pornography images and videos," some of which includes toddlers. (Slade Sohmer/Facebook)

After searching through Sohmer’s phones, laptops, and tablets, investigators initially uncovered 1,300 files, with hundreds that included child sexual abuse media. One of the pictures depicted the rape of a child around four years old.

The Berkshire Eagle reported that Sohmer was released on $100,000 bail Monday after he was charged and arraigned in Berkshire District Court. He allegedly disseminated "hundreds of child pornography images and videos," some of which included toddlers, court documents showed.

The district attorney’s office said some of the materials were sent to others via Telegram and Snapchat. In 2021, Sohmer allegedly discussed how to "lure, kidnap and rape children" with another individual.

Prosecutors claimed that Sohmer may have produced some of the content found on his devices.

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Slade Sohmer was removed from his position at The Recount around the time the investigation into him began.  (Twitter/Screenshot/The Recount)

Authorities said they expect more charges to be leveled against Sohmer once they finish scanning his devices.

Sohmer, who worked as editor-in-chief at The Recount for four years, was ordered to have no internet access, engage in mandatory location notifications to a probation officer and avoid contact with those under 18.

Sohmer was removed from his position at The Recount around the time the investigation into him began. He will return to court on December 21 and faces a mandatory sentence of 10 years if convicted of dissemination and another five years if convicted of possession.

He previously worked as a managing editor at Mic, was a SiriusXM radio host and co-founded Hyper Vocal news site.

Sohmer also previously served as a camp counselor. A 2014 Instagram post from "Summer 365" identified Sohmer as a "camp legend," and his LinkedIn says he has served as a co-director at Camp Power since 2010.

BuzzFeed appeared to take down an article about Sohmer from 2018 headlined, "People Are Touched By This Writer's Conversation With A Bunch Of Fourth Graders." The article highlighted him recounting taking questions from youngsters in a classroom taught by his mother. 

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Berkshire County District Attorney's Office, The Recount and BuzzFeed did not return Fox News Digital's request for comment.

The Recount was founded in 2019 by left-wing journalist John Heilemann and John Battelle. It had reported financial struggles by 2022 and was sold off to video news startup The News Movement earlier this year.

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