Evergreen Reporter

Christopher Lee Thompson, a 46-year-old resident of Palmetto, Florida, has been sentenced to 60 years in federal prison for producing child sexual abuse material. U.S. District Judge William Jung handed down the sentence and ordered the forfeiture of two cellphones, an external hard drive, a box of DVDs, and a 128GB Micro SD Card connected to the offense. Thompson entered a guilty plea on March 6, 2024.

Court documents revealed that law enforcement began investigating Thompson following allegations of sexual battery against a five-year-old child. A residential search warrant led to the discovery of nearly 20,000 images of child sexual abuse material in Thompson's possession. Additionally, he produced his own abusive material involving several victims aged 13 or younger.

“While it's heartbreaking to learn of yet another case of innocence lost because of a sexual predator, it's reassuring to learn of the continued dedication of special agents and our law enforcement partners in making sure this predator spends a long time in prison for his despicable crime,” said FBI Tampa Division Acting Special Agent in Charge Rodney Crawford.

The investigation was conducted by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Abigail K. King.

This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse. The program coordinates efforts among federal, state, and local resources to locate and prosecute individuals who exploit children sexually and to identify and rescue victims. More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at www.justice.gov/psc.