New Port Richey Man Sentenced To 12 Years For Child Pornography Crimes

Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge James S. Moody, Jr. today sentenced Brian Scott Ellis (50, New Port Richey) to 12 years in federal prison for possessing and attempting to produce child pornography. He pleaded guilty on February 28, 2018.

According to court documents, Ellis had amassed a collection of thousands of child pornography images and videos. He distributed child pornography as part of internet “send-to-get” groups, and attempted to film explicit videos of an unrelated child.

This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Murray.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.