A federal grand jury has indicted Richard Plummer, 44, of Tampa, on charges of distributing and possessing child sexual abuse material as well as escape. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announced the indictment. If convicted on all counts, Plummer could face up to 65 years in federal prison.
The indictment states that Plummer was previously convicted in 2018 for coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity and received a 10-year federal prison sentence. Authorities allege that between October 29 and 31, 2025, Plummer distributed and possessed images depicting a minor involved in sexually explicit conduct. On November 1, 2025, he allegedly escaped from the Bureau of Prisons and the Tampa Residential Re-Entry Center while serving his sentence.
"An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty," according to the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tampa Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney Derry will prosecute the case.
This prosecution falls under Project Safe Childhood, an initiative started by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to address child sexual exploitation and abuse by coordinating efforts among federal, state, and local agencies to pursue offenders and assist victims. More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at www.justice.gov/psc.
