Former emergency physician pleads guilty to possessing child pornography

COLUMBUS, Ohio - A former medical director at an Ohio health care system pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to possessing child pornography.

Garrett Norvell, 44, of Westerville, was charged by a bill of information and appeared in federal court this morning to enter his guilty plea.

According to court documents, in June 2020, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) conducted an international investigation targeting offenders who used dark web sites and forums dedicated to the sexual abuse and exploitation of children.

HSI Boston and the FBI obtained information from Norvell's IP address that showed that, in April 2019, Norvell had an account username and password for a website that offered child pornography of girls 4 to 14 years old.

At the time of the investigation, Norvell served as the medical director of OhioHealth in Ashland, Ohio. He previously worked as an emergency medicine physician at OhioHealth.

In February 2022, agents with HSI and the Franklin County Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force executed a search warrant on Norvell's person at the Emergency Care Center at OhioHealth in Ashland and seized his phone, laptop, tablet and a thumb drive. Less than a week later, Norvell was removed from all OhioHealth services and facilities and a State Medical Board of Ohio investigation was initiated. In March 2022, Norvell permanently surrendered his license to practice medicine in Ohio.

Forensic analysis of Norvell's electronics revealed at least 18 files of child pornography, including "Pre-Teen Hard Core" content.

Norvell admitted had an addiction to child pornography and had been watching child pornography since he was approximately 21 years old. He said in interviews that the youngest victim he had viewed in a pornographic setting was an infant.

Norvell pleaded guilty to one count of possessing child pornography of prepubescent minors, a federal crime punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

Congress sets the maximum statutory sentences, and sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors at a future hearing.

Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Angie Salazar, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Detroit; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Cincinnati; Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin; Stephanie Loucka, Executive Director of the Ohio State Medical Board; and other members of the Franklin County ICAC Task Force announced the guilty plea entered today before U.S. District Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. Assistant United States Attorney Emily Czerniejewski and Senior Litigation Counsel Heather A. Hill are representing the United States in this case.

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