Evergreen Reporter

U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza has sentenced Brett Avery Tipton, a 42-year-old resident of Rockledge, Florida, to 80 years in federal prison for producing and distributing child sexual abuse material. The court also mandated that Tipton forfeit the device used in the crime and register as a sex offender. Tipton had pleaded guilty on July 24, 2024.

Court documents reveal that between 2020 and 2021, Tipton groomed a minor victim, who was 12 years old at the time they met. Through online gaming and social media platforms, he persuaded the victim to create pornographic images and videos of himself for Tipton's use. In exchange, Tipton sent gifts and food to the victim. He also used this victim to "bait" other children into creating similar material.

Tipton similarly groomed a second minor victim, convincing him to send pornographic pictures and videos in return for gifts. At one point, he met this second victim in person and attempted to lure him into a public restroom for oral sex.

Additionally, Tipton participated in online chat groups where he shared child sexual abuse material and required other members to share such material or face removal from the group.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to these charges. Assistant United States Attorneys Emily Chang, Robert Sowell, and Courtney Richardson-Jones prosecuted the case.

This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse nationwide. The project brings together federal, state, and local resources to locate offenders who exploit children sexually while identifying and rescuing victims.

For more information about Project Safe Childhood visit www.justice.gov/psc.