An Austin doctor was sentenced Wednesday to 30 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, after admitting to sexually exploiting multiple minors in what prosecutors describe as a sprawling online operation that solicited, traded and in some cases sold explicit images, leaving lasting damage for the victims.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Middle District of Tennessee, 36-year-old Austin resident Philip Taylor Sobash received a 30-year sentence plus five years of supervised release. Prosecutors say Sobash enticed seven minors to create child sexual abuse material and distributed images from five of those victims. Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva said Sobash’s conduct "caused them long‑lasting psychological trauma."
Investigators say the explicit material was part of an online collection known as "DiscreetGent" that featured images of roughly 70 young women and girls, and that some victims’ images were sold on a public website. The FBI says Sobash used "sugar daddy" platforms and a series of online aliases while sending payments and messages that at times included sexual comments.
Local reporting notes that Sobash pleaded guilty in October 2025 to one count of sexual exploitation of a minor and admitted sexually exploiting six other minors between 2017 and 2020. Court documents and coverage state that the underlying relationship with the Tennessee victim began after the two met on a "sugar daddy" dating site and shifted to text messages, where the victim told Sobash she was a minor. FOX 7 Austin
Legal details
Federal filings show Sobash was charged with offenses including sexual exploitation of a minor, coercing a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity and receipt of child pornography, all carrying stiff mandatory minimum sentences that can add up to decades in prison when combined. Prosecutors’ plea and indictment papers note that the sexual exploitation count alone carries a mandatory minimum of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years, with additional mandatory minimums attached to the other counts. U.S. Attorney’s Office
Investigation and victim resources
The FBI is still looking for anyone who believes they were contacted by accounts tied to "DiscreetGent" or who exchanged images with Sobash, and is asking potential victims to complete the agency’s intake form so investigators can confirm identities and connect people with support services. The bureau’s guidance page also directs victims to resources such as the national 988 crisis line and organizations that help remove intimate images from the internet. FBI
Hoodline previously covered Sobash’s November 2025 guilty plea, when prosecutors first laid out how he allegedly used online "sugar daddy" platforms to target young women and teenagers and solicit explicit images. earlier guilty plea coverage
The sentence highlights federal prosecutors’ sustained focus on online child exploitation and the very real harms victims face when private images are monetized or passed around. Authorities say the investigation, along with any related civil actions, could still surface additional victims and avenues for accountability in the months ahead.
