An investigation spearheaded by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) has led to a 25-year prison sentence for a U.S. Navy service member for the sexual exploitation of children, a U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement news release said this week. 

The investigation, carried out by HSI’s Washington, D.C., field office, led to the conviction and sentencing of Travis James Muckelroy to 25 years in federal prison for sexually abusing a child. At the time of his arrest, Muckelroy was an active-duty sailor assigned to the U.S.S Gerald R. Ford, which was docked at U.S. Naval Station, Norfolk, Va.

The investigation discovered that Muckelroy used a social media platform to talk to children and develop online relationships with them, the release said.

"Mr. Muckelroy’s actions were beyond reprehensible, and the barbarity of his crimes is reflected in the severity of his sentence," Brenda Nevano, acting special agent in charge of HSI's Washington, D.C., field office, said in the release. 

HSI wants to stop other perpetrators from carrying out such crimes in the future.

“HSI Washington, D.C., will continue to work tirelessly to hold accountable anyone who attempts to bring harm to the citizens we have sworn to protect," Nevano said.

Following the completion of his sentence, Muckelroy is mandated to be under supervised release for the remainder of his life, the release said.