BANGOR, Maine — A Kingfield man pleaded guilty on Friday to federal charges of sexual exploitation of a child and possession of child pornography.
According to a plea agreement, Richard Hinkley, 57, faces 15 to 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each of two counts.
Federal prosecutors said between May 2009 and April 2010, Hinkley "instructed, encouraged, enticed, and persuaded" a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct through video chats and recorded some of those chats. Authorities also said he sent explicit videos to the minor.
A search warrant executed at his house in May 2020 revealed images of child pornography on his computers, including some of children, prosecutors said.
Hinkley was initially charged with an additional count of transportation of child pornography, but under terms of a plea agreement, prosecutors agreed to dismiss that charge, according to court documents.
