Michael P. Drescher Acting United States Attorney for the District of Vermont | U.S. Attorney for the District of Vermont
Brendan Sullivan, a 29-year-old resident of Burlington, Vermont, was sentenced on March 27 to 15 years in prison for child exploitation offenses, according to the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont. The sentence was handed down by United States District Judge Mary Kay Lanthier and includes a lifetime term of supervised release and an order to pay $20,000 in restitution to victims.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by law enforcement agencies to address crimes involving child sexual abuse materials and attempts to exploit minors online.
Court records show that Sullivan had previously been convicted in federal court for possession of child sexual abuse materials and received a time served sentence in 2020. After his release from prison on December 3, 2024, he violated post-release supervision conditions multiple times. On December 12, just days after his release, Sullivan uploaded illegal material online which triggered an investigation by the Vermont Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. A search warrant executed at his residence on June 24, 2025 led investigators to seize his laptop containing over 2,600 unique images and more than one hundred videos depicting child sexual abuse. Investigators also found messages between Sullivan and someone claiming to be a minor; further inquiry revealed that the other party was actually a teenager mimicking social media stings against predators.
First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt said: “State and local law enforcement are crucial partners in our efforts to protect children. I am extremely grateful for their assistance in this case.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Corinne M. Smith and First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt prosecuted the case while Brooks McArthur represented Sullivan.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood—a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation using federal, state, and local resources.
