New Port Richey Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Transportation of Child Pornography

TAMPA—U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven sentenced Christopher Brian Mott (52, New Port Richey) to 15 years in federal prison for transportation of child pornography. The court also ordered Mott to forfeit a computer involved in the offense. Mott pleaded guilty on January 30, 2013.

According to court documents, an undercover agent downloaded multiple video files depicting child pornography from Mott in September 2012. On November 7, 2012, federal agents executed a search warrant at Mott’s residence. Mott agreed to an interview and confessed to using his computer to access the Internet to obtain child pornography and to those files then being available for others to download from him. During the search, agents seized Mott’s computer. Subsequent forensics review found that it contained images of child pornography.

In addition, during the sentencing hearing, the court found that Mott had previously engaged in a pattern of activity involving the sexual abuse or exploitation of a minor. The court heard testimony from two witnesses who recounted instances of sexual abuse or exploitation perpetrated by Mott while they were minors.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Largo Police Department as part of the FBI’s Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph W. Swanson.

It is another case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “Resources.”