Federal prosecutors say a 37-year-old Wolcott man has pleaded guilty to distributing child pornography following a prior conviction for a child sex abuse.
Prosecutors say Jacob Ritchie now faces a lengthy prison sentence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi is prosecuting the case. He stated that between November 2021 and February 2022 Ritchie engaged in sexually explicit online communications with an undercover cop.
Prosecutors say Ritchie believed he was communicating with a 12-year-old female. During those conversations he’s accused of asking the child to produce and/or send him images of child pornography.
He also attempted to persuade the child to meet him for sex. Ritchie also sent images of child pornography in an attempt to groom the child for sexual activity. The images depicted children as young as 8-years-old engaged in sexual activity with adults.
Ritchie also made numerous references to possible sexual contact with a minor relative while communicating with the undercover investigator.
In February 2022, investigators executed a search warrant at Ritchie’s residence, where they recovered a cell phone containing dozens of images of child pornography. Some of the images depicted the sexual abuse of children as young as toddlers, and children being subjected to violence. A subsequent search of Ritchie’s social media found that he engaged in multiple online conversations during which he openly discussed sexually abusing children and traded child pornography. Ritchie admitted to sexually abusing multiple children, to include a child as young as five-years-old. He is a level 3 sex offender following child sexual abuse convictions in 2012, 2016, and 2017.
The charges carry a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum of 80 years, a lifetime period of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
Sentencing is slated for January 10th, 2023.
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