A Florida man has been given a 60-year federal prison sentence for the production of material depicting child sexual abuse. Christopher Lee Thompson, 46, of Palmetto, pled guilty to the charges on March 6 and was sentenced by U.S. District Judge William Jung. The conviction also requires the forfeiture of various items used in the commission of the crime, including cellphones and digital storage devices.
The investigation that led to Thompson's sentencing began after authorities received allegations of sexual battery against a five-year-old child. The search of Thompson's residence revealed close to 20,000 images of child sexual abuse and evidence that Thompson had produced his own abusive material with victims all under the age of 13.
In a statement obtained by U.S. Department of Justice, Rodney Crawford, the FBI Tampa Division's Acting Special Agent in Charge, stressed the gravity of Thompson's actions and the importance of the law enforcement efforts that led to his prosecution. Crawford stated, “While it's heartbreaking to learn of yet another case of innocence lost because of a sexual predator, it's reassuring to learn of the continued dedication of special agents and our law enforcement partners in making sure this predator spends a long time in prison for his despicable crime.”
Thompson's case was a result of coordinated efforts by Manatee County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI, with Assistant United States Attorney Abigail K. King leading the prosecution. It falls under Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in 2006, aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about the efforts of this initiative, visits can be made to the Project Safe Childhood website.
