Man Sentenced To Over 21 Years In Prison For Distribution Of Child Pornography

MOBILE, AL – Zachary Norris, age 35, was sentenced on October 14, 2025, to 262 months in prison for Distribution of Child Pornography and Access with Intent to View Child Pornography.

According to court documents, a social media platform reported that an account associated with Norris contained child pornography. Investigators obtained the content of that account and discovered multiple instances of Norris chatting with users about his attraction to children and conversations during which Norris would send videos of child pornography to other users.  A search warrant was executed at Norris’s residence and his cell phone was seized and examined.  Investigators found over 90 images and videos of child pornography, including a photo where it appeared an image of adult pornography had been altered so that a child’s face had been superimposed over the adult’s face.

Norris will be placed on a 15-year term of supervised release after incarceration and is prohibited from possessing internet capable devices.  He is also ordered to have no contact with minors.  Norris will be required to register as a sex offender.  Norris was ordered to pay $23,000 in restitution to the victims of his offense.

U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kacey Chappelear prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

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 the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc/publications-resources