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Texas Panhandle man arrested on federal child pornography charges following FBI investigation

By
FOX Local
Texas
Published October 21, 2026 8:07 AM CDT
Published October 21, 2026 8:07 AM CDT
article

Tharon Thomas Drake (Source: Randall County Jail)

The Brief

    • Tharon Thomas Drake, 53, of Borger, was taken into custody on a federal charge of receiving child pornography.
    • Investigators linked Drake to messaging platforms where he allegedly received over 50 explicit files from two minor victims.
    • Drake made an initial court appearance and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted.

BORGER, Texas - A 53-year-old man from Borger, a city located in the Texas Panhandle about 40 miles northeast of Amarillo, was arrested on a federal child pornography charge, officials announced earlier this month.

Tharon Thomas Drake arrested

What we know:

Tharon Thomas Drake was taken into custody on Sept. 30 on a criminal complaint charging him with receipt of child pornography, according to Ryan Raybould, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas.

Drake made his initial court appearance Sept. 30 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lee Ann Reno.

The backstory:

According to the criminal complaint, Drake allegedly communicated online with individuals he believed to be minors between April 2024 and Sept. 2, 2026, receiving files containing child sexual abuse material. Investigators executing search warrants recovered more than 50 sexually explicit videos and images received from two minor victims after they had disclosed they were under 18 years old.

Authorities linked Drake to multiple messaging platforms through subscriber records, online accounts, IP address information, and other identifying data, according to court documents.

What they're saying:

"This arrest reflects our ongoing commitment to protecting every family in every community in North Texas," Raybould said in a statement. "My office has zero tolerance for those who prey on children—whether in person or behind a screen."

R. Joseph Rothrock, special agent in charge of the FBI Dallas Field Office, emphasized the agency's focus on combating online exploitation.

"We will continue working closely with our partners to protect the most vulnerable members of our communities," Rothrock said.

What's next:

If convicted, Drake faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years in federal prison.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI Dallas Field Office’s Amarillo and Wichita Falls resident agencies, along with the Borger Police Department, the Hutchinson County Sheriff’s Office, and the Potter County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Callie Woolam and Aspen Hall are prosecuting the case.

Criminal complaints contain allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

The Source:  

TexasCrime and Public Safety