Former Columbus firefighter pleads guilty to federal child pornography charges after online communications uncovered by investigators
Plea marks latest stage in federal case tied to cybertips and seized devices
A former Columbus firefighter has pleaded guilty in federal court to charges involving child pornography, closing the contested phase of a case that began with online reports and a broader investigation into alleged exchanges of illegal material.
The defendant, Carson A. Bigham, 23, of Lancaster, was arrested in May 2025 after federal authorities said they uncovered communications linking him to another Columbus-area man who had been charged earlier in 2025 in a separate child-exploitation case. Investigators said they located conversations during a forensic review of electronic devices seized from that other defendant, and that the communications included requests for and receipt of child sexual abuse material.
How the investigation developed
Court filings and federal charging documents describe a case that originated with two separate cybertip reports to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children connected to a different Columbus suspect. Investigators later seized and reviewed that suspect’s devices, where they said they found messages identifying Bigham and matching photographs that supported the identification.
Federal authorities alleged that the conversations were sexual in nature and included discussions about sexual activity involving minors. Prosecutors also alleged that Bigham received files depicting prepubescent children engaged in sex acts with adults.
The arrest was announced May 22, 2025, with prosecutors alleging possession, receipt, and distribution-related conduct under federal child-pornography statutes.
Investigators said the evidence included communications recovered from seized devices and app-based messaging tied to the earlier Columbus case.
Detention proceedings and court findings before the plea
Following his arrest, Bigham was detained as the case proceeded in federal court. In detention litigation during 2025, prosecutors described additional details about the investigation timeline, including references to communications beginning in 2024 and an asserted confession to investigators presented at an initial detention hearing. A federal judge later declined to overturn the detention order in a ruling issued in November 2025.
Federal judges considering pretrial detention weigh factors including the nature of the charges, the strength of the evidence presented at that stage, and whether any release conditions could reasonably assure community safety and court appearance.
What comes next
A guilty plea in federal court is typically followed by the preparation of a presentence investigation report and a sentencing hearing at a later date. In child pornography cases, sentencing can be shaped by statutory ranges, guideline calculations, and case-specific factors such as the conduct proved, the number and nature of files involved, and any distribution-related elements.
The Columbus Division of Fire and related city processes may proceed separately from the criminal case; employment status changes following an arrest or conviction generally occur under administrative rules and collective bargaining agreements rather than through the federal courts.