El Dorado Man Sentenced to 17 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a Minor

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that an El Dorado Springs, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for sexually exploiting a minor.

Bryan Lee Courtney, 24, of El Dorado Springs, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips to 17 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Courtney to pay $1,494 in restitution to the victim for counseling.

On Feb. 7, 2014, Courtney pleaded guilty to using a minor to produce child pornography. Courtney admitted that he used his cell phone to make a video recording of himself having sex with a 15-year-old minor.

Police officers executed a search warrant at Courtney’s residence on Jan. 8, 2013. Officers seized several cell phones, iPods and other digital media. Investigators found two videos on one of the cell phones of Courtney and the minor victim having sex. Investigators also found several nude or partially nude photographs of the minor victim.

According to court documents, Courtney actively tried to isolate the victim from both her family and friends through physical and psychological intimidation. He took pictures and video of his sexual exploitation to both brag about his sexual conquest and to isolate the victim from her friends and family. Courtney displayed these videos and pictures to his friends and co-workers and to the victim’s friends. Courtney sent an image of the naked child to her father after he had been charged in state court with statutory rape.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crime Task Force and the FBI.