Former Central State Prison inmate pleads guilty in child sexual abuse material case

Timothy Jock Knight faces 10 to 20 years in federal prison. His sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 1.

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — A 45-year-old former Central State Prison inmate has pleaded guilty to possessing child sexual abuse material on an altered JPay tablet while serving a state sentence for attempted child molestation.

According to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia, Timothy Jock Knight pleaded guilty September 3 to one count of possession of child pornography before U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell.

Knight faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to 20 years in federal prison, followed by up to a lifetime of supervised release. He also faces a possible $250,000 fine.

Sentencing is scheduled for December 1.

According to court documents and statements referenced in court, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation received a cybertip from Instagram in 2021 concerning the distribution of child sexual abuse material.

Federal prosecutors say an Instagram account named “timknight444” uploaded two images depicting child sexual abuse material. The tip included Knight’s profile picture and driver’s license.

Investigators determined Knight was serving a state sentence for attempted child molestation from Columbia County and was housed at Central State Prison. His state prison release had been scheduled for January 2027.

The GBI obtained a search warrant for Knight’s Instagram account and collected two JPay tablets at the prison.

According to prosecutors, one altered tablet was found in Knight’s locker but did not contain child sexual abuse material. Investigators confiscated a second altered tablet from Knight and found child sexual abuse material on it.

Prosecutors say the second tablet contained 3,410 unique digital artifacts involving child sexual abuse material, including images of prepubescent children. Investigators also found Google searches related to abusing, trafficking and raping children.

“It is deeply troubling that, even while serving time for child molestation, this individual continued to seek out and view child sexual abuse material and research ways to harm children,” U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes said. “Thanks to the coordinated efforts of state and federal authorities, the defendant was identified and will be held accountable.”