SAN ANTONIO
A federal judge sentenced a 27-year-old man to 60 years in prison for producing child pornography, officials announced Friday.
On May 14, Ryan Bradley Pitts plead guilty to six counts of child pornography.
The evidence indicated that between June 2008 and February 2012, Pitts sexually assaulted six different children, ages 3 to 10, for the purpose of producing visual depictions of the activity, according to authorities.
Officials said Pitts also used peer-to-peer software to trade child pornography with others.
Pitts has remained in federal custody since his arrest in November 2013.
During this investigation, FBI agents seized Pitts’ laptop computer, cell phone and other digital media devices. A forensics examination of the seized equipment revealed the presence of more than 21,500 images and 1,200 videos depicting child pornography, officials said.
FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs stated “This case demonstrates the FBI’s strong commitment to protect children, who are among the most vulnerable in our society, from being targeted and sexually exploited by child predators”.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, officials said.