Former attorney Benjamin Crawford was sentenced to six years and six months in federal prison by Senior U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday for distributing child sexual abuse material, according to the Department of Justice. Crawford, who pleaded guilty in June 2025, will also face 25 years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.
Court documents show that Crawford used a social media app to distribute illegal material and accessed similar content on his smartphone and laptop. He attempted to obstruct the investigation by deleting applications before a law enforcement search. Crawford is also required to forfeit the devices used in his crimes.
The investigation was led by FBI branches in Tampa and Tennessee, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel handling the prosecution. Their work underscores that the legal system is committed to protecting the most vulnerable from exploitation and abuse.
Crawford's punishment reflects the broader initiative under which his case was prosecuted: Project Safe Childhood. Launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice, the program uses federal, state, and local resources to investigate and prosecute child exploitation while supporting victim recovery. For more information, the public can visit the initiative's webpage.
