A former Fort Carson soldier has been sentenced to three decades behind bars after pleading guilty to the production of child sexual abuse material. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, John Paul Barsch III, 31, will also face a lifetime of supervised release following his prison term.
The troubling details of the case emerged during the investigation, where it was found that between November 2018 and March 2020, Barsch committed sexual acts on an infant or toddler in his care, which he recorded and distributed, at least once, to an individual in the United Kingdom. The crimes came to light following the arrest of the recipient of the videos abroad, and a subsequent search exposed communications between the two individuals. "Crimes against children are some of the most despicable in our society and this sentence demonstrates the magnitude of the crimes committed," said U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado Peter McNeilly, as per the U.S. Department of Justice.
The 30-year sentence seeks to underscore the severity of Barsch's actions. Steve Cagen, Special Agent in Charge at HSI Denver, stands by the sentence, asserting that "no position of authority or service will shield predators from the full force of justice. He further emphasized the unwavering stance of law enforcement with a stark warning against such vile and reprehensible exploitation of children.
Judge Charlotte N. Sweeney was the presiding magistrate over the sentencing at the United States District Court. The investigation, led by Homeland Security Investigations, culminated in charges brought under Project Safe Childhood, a national push to stem the tide of child sexual exploitation and abuse. As stated by the U.S. Department of Justice, launched in May 2006, multiple agencies, including both federal and state, local entities, are rallied to locate and prosecute those who exploit children through the internet, and identify and rescue the victims.
