From WCYB -
A former teacher and church choir director was sentenced to 20 years in prison Monday February 25, 2019 after he was found guilty last year of child pornography charges in Lee County.
Robert Edward Widener was convicted in April 2018 of soliciting child pornography and using an electronic device to solicit child pornography. The jury recommended the 20 year prison sentence.
During the two-day trial, evidence was presented that Widener repeatedly requested nude photographs from a 16-year-old student on Snapchat and in text messages. He also proposed meeting the same student for oral sex on multiple occasions.
Lee County Commonwealth's Attorney H. Fuller Cridlin issued the following statement:
Mr. Widener's case is an example of how our justice system is supposed to work. No one is above the law, regardless of his or her status in the community. A jury decided the case based solely on the evidence presented during the trial. Our mission in every case is to pursue truth and justice. We believe that is what was accomplished here.