(CN) - A former U.S. House of Representatives staffer admitted that he tried to email himself child pornography three years ago, the Justice Department said Thursday.
In November 2012, James Maines Jr. attempted to forward five "child exploitation" pictures from his own email to his U.S. House of Representatives email account, according to a U.S. Justice Department press release. The government says he admitted to getting those and other images online.
A search of his computer found a number of child exploitation pictures, some of which were downloaded as early as 2004, according to the Justice Department.
Maines, 54, pleaded guilty Wednesday to one count of knowingly receiving child pornography.
The Mesquite, Texas resident worked for Republican Rep. Joe Barton through last year, according to a number of databases.
Maines is scheduled to be sentenced on March 16, 2016.
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