Hancock sheriff’s deputy arrested for child porn images
Shop with a Cop rep found with over 600 sexually explicit images of minors
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NEW CUMBERLAND -- A Hancock County sheriff's deputy found himself on the wrong side of the law, going into Labor Day weekend.
West Virginia State Police arrested Patrick Hoder, no address provided, on an active warrant for one count of distribution or exhibition of material depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The charge specified that more than 600 images were involved. The case report lists the infraction occurring on or around April 30, 2024.
According to Sheriff Scott Gittings, Hoder had been terminated as of Sunday.
Hancock County Magistrate Omeka Petteway is scheduled to hear the case at 10:20 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 12 in Magistrate Court.
In addition to serving as both the office's representative on the Shop With A Cop program and the Hancock County Sheriff Reserves unit, Hoder also was a K9 handler for the Hancock County Sheriff's Office.
Hoder currently is on $50,000 cash or surety bond posted on Friday through A. Swan Bail Bonding.
No information was available at press time about the possible maximum penalty if convicted.