Athens Man Sentenced To 25 Years In Prison For Producing Child Pornography

COLUMBUS – Jason L. Hutchinson, 42, of Athens, Ohio was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 300 months in prison and will be under court supervision for the rest of his life for using a webcam to create a video of himself engaged in various sex acts with a 13-year old and distributing the video out of state.

Carter M. Stewart, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Edward J. Hanko, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), announced the sentence handed down today by U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley.

“Recordings of child abuse are used as currency by those who exploit children,” U.S. Attorney Stewart said. “Law enforcement coordination between federal, state and local agencies is the only way to curtail such exploitation.”

Hutchinson pleaded guilty on August 24, 2012 to one count of using a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct.

Hutchinson created the video at his residence in November 2010 then sent that video and another similar video to an individual in the greater Boston, Massachusetts area. Law enforcement officers in the Boston area discovered the video and alerted law enforcement officials in Ohio. Supported by deputies from the Athens County Sheriff’s Office, FBI agents executed a search warrant and arrested Hutchinson on a criminal complaint on March 16, 2012. He has been in custody since his arrest.

Hutchinson also admitted to sexually abusing another young boy in Athens County several years ago and discussing that abuse with the individual, a sex offender in Massachusetts, to whom he sent the videos. Judge Marbley cited the prior abuse as one of the bases for the sentence. Judge Marbley also ordered Hutchinson to be placed under court supervision for the rest of his life after he serves his time in prison. Hutchinson must register as a sex offender anywhere he lives, works or goes to school.

Stewart commended the investigation by the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Hill, who prosecuted the case.