A Huntsville man has been sentenced to over 15 years in prison on charges related to child pornography. U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and FBI Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples announced the sentencing of David Edward Sanford, 55, by U.S. District Court Judge Madeline Haikala.
Sanford received a sentence of 190 months in prison followed by a life term of supervised release after pleading guilty in December 2024 to one count of transportation and one count of possession of child pornography. These convictions necessitate that Sanford register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
Court documents revealed that between September and November 2023, Sanford engaged in online distribution of child pornography within groups focused on the sexual exploitation of children. During a federal search warrant executed at his residence in November 2023, Sanford admitted to using file-sharing applications to trade videos and images involving minors, particularly those under the age of 11. Forensic analysis uncovered more than 9,600 videos and 500 images on his devices.
The case was investigated by FBI Birmingham’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force alongside the Madison County Sheriff’s Office and Huntsville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Leann White prosecuted the case.
Authorities urge anyone suspecting or aware of potential child sexual exploitation to contact law enforcement immediately. The FBI Birmingham Office can be reached at 205-326-6166, while reports can also be made through the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children or online at www.cybertipline.org.
This case 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 nationwide. It combines efforts from federal, state, and local resources to prosecute offenders exploiting children via the internet and rescue victims.
For further information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
