Arlington Man Found Guilty of Child Pornography Possession

Richard K. Cox convicted on two counts after jury deliberation

Published on Feb. 4, 2026

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An Arlington County jury has found Richard K. Cox guilty on two counts of possession of child pornography, second or subsequent offense. The verdict came after two hours of deliberation, with prosecutors arguing that Cox knowingly possessed child sexual abuse materials. This is not Cox's first conviction, as he was previously found guilty of nine counts of possession of child pornography in 2007 in Fairfax County.

Why it matters

Possession of child pornography is considered a serious crime as it perpetuates the exploitation and abuse of children. This conviction highlights the ongoing efforts by law enforcement and prosecutors to hold offenders accountable and disrupt the demand for these illegal materials.

The details

According to the release from the Commonwealth's Attorney's office, Deputy Commonwealth's Attorneys Nassir Aboreden and Abhimanyu Mehta prosecuted the case against Cox. In his closing arguments, Aboreden stated that "This is a case about voiceless victims" and that "although we don't know their names, what happened to them was a crime. Richard Cox must be held accountable." Cox is now facing a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison and is due back in court on May 1 for sentencing.

  • The jury reached a guilty verdict on Wednesday after two hours of deliberation.
  • In 2007, Cox was convicted in Fairfax County on nine counts of possession of child pornography.

The players

Richard K. Cox

A man from Arlington, Virginia who was found guilty on two counts of possession of child pornography, second or subsequent offense.

Nassir Aboreden

Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney who prosecuted the case against Richard K. Cox.

Abhimanyu Mehta

Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney who prosecuted the case against Richard K. Cox.

Parisa Dehghani-Tafti

Commonwealth's Attorney who stated that possession of child pornography is never a victimless crime.

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What they’re saying

“This is a case about voiceless victims. Although we don't know their names, what happened to them was a crime. Richard Cox must be held accountable.”

— Nassir Aboreden, Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney (Patch.com)

“Possession of child pornography is never a victimless crime, because if there were no market for it, people would not abuse children and create it. We can never heal the trauma of those children, but we can hold accountable people like Mr. Cox, who create the conditions that perpetuate the exploitation of children and make it prohibitable.”

— Parisa Dehghani-Tafti, Commonwealth's Attorney (Patch.com)

What’s next

Cox is due back in court on May 1 for sentencing, where he faces a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison.

The takeaway

This conviction underscores the ongoing efforts by law enforcement and prosecutors to hold offenders accountable for the possession of child pornography, which perpetuates the exploitation and abuse of vulnerable children. It serves as a reminder of the serious consequences for those who engage in these crimes and the commitment to protecting the most vulnerable members of society.