ALEXANDRIA, Va. — A Stafford County Sheriff’s Office sergeant has been charged with receiving child abuse material, according to federal authorities.
Justin Thomas Lee Forman, 37, of Fredericksburg, was arrested July 30, 2026 following an FBI investigation.
According to court documents, investigators allege that beginning in at least 2023, Forman used a Telegram account to solicit, purchase and receive child abuse material from another Telegram account. Authorities said he received links and files containing videos and images depicting the abuse and exploitation of children, including infants.
The FBI executed a search warrant at Forman’s residence on July 30, seizing approximately 16 electronic devices. Forman was arrested the same day and made his initial appearance in U.S. District Court on July 31. During a preliminary and detention hearing, he pleaded not guilty.
If convicted, Forman faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 20 years in federal prison. Any sentence will be determined by a U.S. district judge after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Ian Kaufmann, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office made the announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Mercer is prosecuting the case.
