San Antonio Man Sentenced to 60 Years Federal Imprisonment for Producing Child Pornography

In San Antonio today, 27-year-old Ryan Bradley Pitts was sentenced to 60 years in federal prison for production of child pornography announced United States Attorney Richard L. Durbin, Jr., and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division.

On May 14, 2015, Pitts pleaded guilty to six counts of production of child pornography.  According to court records, on numerous occasions between June 2008 and February 2012, Pitts sexually assaulted six different children, ages 3 to 10, for the purpose of producing visual depictions of the activity.  Pitts also used peer-to-peer software to trade child pornography with others.

Pitts has remained in federal custody since his arrest in November 2013.  During this investigation, FBI agents seized Pitts’ laptop computer, cell phone and other digital media devices. A forensics examination of the seized equipment revealed the presence of more than 21,500 images and 1,200 videos depicting child pornography.

This Project Safe Childhood case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Thompson prosecuted this case on behalf of the Government.

FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs stated “This case demonstrates the FBI’s strong commitment to protect children, who are among the most vulnerable in our society, from being targeted and sexually exploited by child predators”.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.  Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.