Franklin Man Charged in Nationwide Child Porn Investigation Pleads Guilty

CINCINNATI – Brandon Spicer, 42, of Franklin, Ohio, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of receipt of child pornography, a crime punishable by at least five years and up to 20 years in prison.                                                                                              

Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Angela L. Byers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Field Division announced the plea entered today before U.S. District Judge Susan J. Dlott.

According to court documents, Spicer was identified during the course of a nationwide investigation into accessing child pornography that was available on a highly encrypted website known as “Playpen.” Users of the site had to take multiple steps to register for the site and to access the materials. The materials depicted extremely young children being sexually assaulted by adults – some in bondage, many violent.

Based on information received as a result of the “Playpen” investigation, agents searched Spicer’s home on July 9, 2015.  Agents found more than 600 images on Spicer’s computer and cellular phone depicting children under 12 years old being sexually assaulted and abused by adult men. 

Judge Dlott will schedule sentencing following an investigation by the court.

U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation by the FBI, as well as Assistant United States Attorney Christy Muncy, who is representing the United States in this case. 

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