A former federal probation officer from Water Valley who was arrested in April for possessing and distributing child pornography is expected to plead guilty next month.

Lonnie Everill, 44, was arrested on April 16 and charged by the FBI with one count of possessing child porn and one count of distributing child porn. He was formally indicted on those charges on April 23.

His trial date was postponed in May and rescheduled for Jan. 6. A Zoom pre-trial conference call was scheduled for Dec. 20, but according to the court record, the meeting was canceled since a change of plea hearing was scheduled for 3 p.m. on Jan. 14 at the Federal Courthouse in Oxford.

It was not immediately known if Everill’s charges would change due to a change of plea.

Everill is being held on no bond in the Panola County Jail.

The FBI filed a 12-page complaint in April alleging Everill was using an online chat in an attempt to have sex with a 9-year-old girl from California.

On March 25, the FBI in Oxford was contacted by an FBI special agent in California regarding Everill.

As part of an ongoing investigation, an undercover agent was in a chat room known to be a place where child porn was exchanged, as well as other illegal sexual activities involving children. It was in that chat room that the agent had a conversation with Everill that involved setting up a time to meet and have sex with a 9-year-old girl.
According to court records, Everill reportedly purchased a plane ticket to meet the girl in Fresno, California.

The FBI was able to obtain 573 media files with 38 files of suspected child porn, some involving children as young as toddlers.