BEDFORD COUNTY, Va. – VINTON VOICE — A Bedford County man convicted in a child sex crimes case has now been formally sentenced, according to an update released by authorities.
On Tuesday, December 9, 2025, John Eddy Witcher entered a guilty plea and was sentenced to 20 years in a Virginia state penitentiary, with 10 years suspended, court records show. The sentence will run concurrently with another existing sentence, officials confirmed.
The sentencing follows Witcher’s arrest earlier this year after an investigation conducted by the Bedford Police Department.
According to the original incident report, detectives arrested the 44-year-old Bedford County man on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, following an investigation by the department’s Detective Bureau into allegations involving the online solicitation of a minor.
Witcher was charged with three counts of using a communications system to solicit a child under the age of 15, a violation of Virginia law (§ 18.2-374.3).
The Bedford Police Department credited the U.S. Marshals Service and the Bedford County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in locating and apprehending Witcher.
Officials have not released additional details regarding the case. No further court dates related to this matter are currently scheduled.