Brent Bennett, a 55-year-old resident of Norwalk, Ohio, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison by U.S. District Judge James G. Carr for receiving and distributing child sexual abuse materials (CSAM). The sentence was handed down on June 10, 2025, following Bennett’s guilty plea in January. Alongside the prison term, Bennett will serve five years of supervised release post-imprisonment and is required to register as a sex offender under the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act.
Bennett must also pay $126,500 in restitution to victims and an additional $35,000 under the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Assistance Act. This act provides financial assistance to victims of child sexual abuse.
Court documents revealed that between January 19 and March 13, 2023, Bennett utilized peer-to-peer file-sharing programs to download and distribute explicit images and videos of children. A federal search warrant executed in April 2023 led to the seizure of electronic devices from his apartment containing over 10,000 images and nearly 1,800 videos related to child exploitation. Among these were confirmed CSAM files including sexually graphic content involving prepubescent females and sadistic depictions. Investigators identified 22 victims who submitted impact statements to the court.
Bennett’s IP address was noted among the top ten in Ohio for CSAM downloads during the investigation conducted by the United States Secret Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank H. Spryszak prosecuted this case for the Northern District of Ohio as part of Project Safe Childhood. This initiative aims to combat child sexual exploitation by coordinating efforts across federal, state, and local levels.
Further information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at Justice.gov/PSC. Reports on child exploitation can be made via cybertipline.org or by calling 1-800-843-5678 anytime.
