Eric Michael Spreitzer, a 36-year-old Streetsboro man, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison this week after admitting he received, distributed and possessed child sexual abuse material found on his devices and online accounts. A federal judge in Akron also ordered him to pay $49,000 in restitution to his victims and to serve 15 years of supervised release once his prison term ends.
Spreitzer pleaded guilty in April 2026 to receiving and distributing visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct and to possessing child pornography, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office, as reported by Cleveland.com. Investigators determined that the offenses took place between January 2024 and October 2025, the outlet reported, after federal agents identified Spreitzer as a suspect in a broader investigation into suspected child sexual abuse material activity in Portage County.
Forensic Exam Uncovered Images Of Children Under 12
Federal agents seized electronic devices and online accounts from Spreitzer's Portage County residence during the investigation, per the outlet's reporting. A forensic analysis of those devices and accounts turned up numerous files containing child sexual abuse material, including images of children under 12, according to the same account.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Toni Beth Schnellinger Feisthamel for the Northern District of Ohio, according to a U.S. Department of Justice statement. U.S. District Judge Christopher A. Boyko, who presided over the sentencing, was appointed to the Northern District of Ohio bench by President George W. Bush in 2004 and took senior status in January 2020, per Ballotpedia.
Maximum Sentence Under Federal Law
The 20-year term matches the statutory maximum for a first-time conviction under 18 U.S.C. § 2252A(b)(1), which sets a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum of 20 years in prison per count for receiving or distributing child sexual abuse material, according to the Spodek Law Group. The $49,000 restitution order stems from 18 U.S.C. § 2259, as amended by the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act of 2018, which mandates that defendants compensate identified victims depicted in the material, per the U.S. Sentencing Commission.
Joint Investigation Under Project Safe Childhood
The investigation was conducted jointly by the FBI's Akron Resident Agency and the Portage County Sheriff's Office, with investigative support from the Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Justice Department said. Spreitzer's conviction was secured under Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative created to coordinate federal, state and local efforts against child sexual exploitation. The task force that assisted in the case includes more than 350 partner law enforcement agencies across the state, according to the Portage County Sheriff's Office.
Pattern Of CSAM Cases In Portage County
Spreitzer's case is the latest in a string of federal child sexual abuse material prosecutions to emerge from Portage County. In June 2026, 33-year-old Joshua Whan of Kent pleaded guilty in federal court to similar charges following an online investigation that originated with the Streetsboro Police Department, per the U.S. Department of Justice. Hoodline previously reported on a similarly severe Ohio sentence handed down earlier this year.
In August 2025, a federal judge sentenced Ravenna resident Daniel Alan Robertson to 121 months in prison and ordered $117,500 in restitution for CSAM receipt and distribution, according to Hometown Stations. Streetsboro, where Spreitzer lives, is a suburb of roughly 17,800 residents in western Portage County within the Akron metropolitan area, according to Census Reporter data.
