Rebecca C. Lutzko United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio
Brent Bennett, a 55-year-old resident of Norwalk, Ohio, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for receiving and distributing child sexual abuse materials (CSAM). U.S. District Judge James G. Carr handed down the sentence on June 10, 2025. Bennett had pleaded guilty to the charges in January.
In addition to his prison term, Bennett is required to serve five years of supervised release and register as a sex offender under the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act. He must also pay $126,500 in restitution to victims and $35,000 under the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Assistance Act.
Court documents revealed that between January 19 and March 13, 2023, Bennett used peer-to-peer file-sharing programs to download and distribute explicit photos and videos of children. A federal search warrant executed in April 2023 led investigators to seize multiple electronic devices from his apartment containing over 10,000 images and nearly 1,800 videos of child exploitation.
Forensic analysis confirmed that many of these files were designated as CSAM. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children reviewed these visuals to identify victimized children. In total, statements from 22 victims were submitted to the court.
Bennett's IP address was identified among the top ten in Ohio for CSAM downloads during this period. The United States Secret Service conducted the investigation leading up to Bennett's indictment.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank H. Spryszak prosecuted the case for the Northern District of Ohio as part of Project Safe Childhood—a nationwide initiative targeting child sexual exploitation online.
Further information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at Justice.gov/PSC. Reports of child exploitation can be made at cybertipline.org or by calling 1-800-843-5678 any time.
