Oxford, Miss. – An Amory man was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison on Monday for producing and distributing child [censored]ography. United States District Judge Neal B. Biggers sentenced Brett Northington, 60, to 360 months in federal prison for using a minor to produce child sexual abuse material and distribute it on the Internet.
The investigation began when the Department of Homeland Security, in conjunction with international intelligence agencies, received information that Northington was distributing child [censored]ography via an instant messaging application. Further investigation revealed that Northington had used the application to take and send sexually explicit pictures and videos of a child under the age of 12.
Northington had been previously convicted of a sex offense in state court.
In sentencing Northington to 30 years in prison, Judge Biggers noted that he felt the sentence was necessary to protect children in Northington’s own family and children outside of his family from abuse.
“Individuals who sexually abuse children in order to produce and distribute child [censored]ography have no place among civilized people and deserve to be in prison for as long as possible,” stated U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “Such evil must never be tolerated and these individuals will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
“This defendant’s repeated sexual exploitation of minors is deserving of the 30-year prison sentence to ensure he will not inflict further harm and trauma on other children,” said Special Agent in Charge David Denton of HSI New Orleans. “HSI is appreciative of the collaborative efforts of the Monroe County Sherriff’s office for its work with our special agents on this investigation.”
The Department of Homeland Security and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Parker S. King prosecuted the case.