Former Escambia & Santa Rosa School Teacher Sentenced on Federal Child Pornography Charges

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA - - United States Attorney Pamela C. Marsh announced that Jeffrey B. Richards, age 63, of Milton, was sentenced today on federal charges related to the online receipt of child pornography.

For approximately ten years, Richards utilized peer-to-peer software to download vast amounts of child pornography, including more than 100,000 sexualized images and videos of children.  During this time, Richards was teaching in local schools.  The prosecution revealed that in his online searches, Richards used search terms specifically geared toward obtaining child sexual exploitation images and videos.  In addition, Richards possessed at least one audio file in which a young female portraying a “student” was engaged in graphic sexual acts with her “teacher” in exchange for a favorable grade in school.

Senior United States District Judge Lacey A. Collier sentenced Richards to six years imprisonment to be followed by ten years of supervised release.  Upon release, Richards will be required to register as a sexual offender.

The prosecution was a result of a joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Homeland Security, the Pensacola Police Department, and other members of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David L. Goldberg.