A Tierra Verde man has been sentenced to a decade behind bars for his role in disseminating child sexual abuse material (CSAM), as per the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida. Andrew Newburg, 41, faced U.S. District Judge Thomas Barber, who handed down a sentence of 10 years in federal prison, followed by lifetime supervised release. Newburg will also be placed on the sex offender registry after his prison term.
The conviction comes after Newburg's guilty plea on April 29 for charges related to distributing videos of CSAM over a social media application in February 2020 and, again, in October 2022. Beyond distribution, Newburg was found possessing CSAM, sourced through social media. This inquiry stemmed from collaborative efforts by the Tampa Police Department and the FBI, with Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel leading the prosecution team.
According to a statement from the Department of Justice, the case against Newburg was a part of Project Safe Childhood. Launched in 2006, this nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice focuses on the mounting challenge of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Leveraging the collective might of federal, state, and local agencies, the program's mission is to track, apprehend those exploiting children, and ensure the victims are rescued and supported.
For additional details on Project Safe Childhood and its endeavors in the fight against these crimes, the public is encouraged to visit the Department of Justice website.
