A St. Cloud man, whose neighbors called him “Santa,” has now pleaded guilty to having child pornography. implicated in a child pornography investigation that also involved his son accepted a plea deal Wednesday in federal court, according to court records.
James Cox, 80, was arrested in March by the U.S. Marshals Service at a residence on Countryside Drive. This arrest came after his son, Henry Cox, tragically took his own life as law enforcement closed in on their location.
The investigation began in November 2023 when St. Cloud police received a tip about child pornography being uploaded to the internet from an IP address linked to James Cox. A search warrant was executed at the home on January 19, where investigators found images and videos depicting children, both inside the home and in public restrooms.
According to the criminal complaint, James Cox admitted to viewing and uploading child pornography online to find similar content. Authorities believe that Henry Cox was involved in producing the images, though he had denied any participation before his death.
On Wednesday, James Cox pleaded guilty to charges of receipt and possession of child pornography. He is scheduled to be sentenced on November 6, court records show.
