Tampa Man Gets 20 Years for Child Porn Production

Paul Dale Pollitt, III, a 40-year-old man from Tampa, Florida, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Charlene Honeywell for the production of child pornography. The sentence marks the culmination of a federal investigation that exposed a year-long pattern of predatory online behavior and the deliberate sexual exploitation of a minor.

Pollitt pleaded guilty on November 15, 2016, after being apprehended by law enforcement following contact with an undercover police detective. The officer was operating as part of a multi-jurisdictional Child Exploitation Task Force, which had posted a bait advertisement on an online platform frequented by individuals with a sexual interest in children. Pollitt reached out, believing he was connecting with a like-minded predator.

Over several days of online chats, Pollitt exchanged explicit images of a child, including known child pornography. He informed the undercover officer he planned to see the child the following weekend and intended to take more illicit photos. This admission triggered an urgent law enforcement response to locate and identify Pollitt before he could further harm the victim.

Agents moved quickly, arresting Pollitt and seizing his electronic devices. A forensic review uncovered a disturbing digital trail: Pollitt had been communicating with anonymous men online for over a year, discussing the sexual abuse of the child. Multiple additional images of the victim, including new child pornography, were recovered from his devices.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rachel K. Jones and Stacie B. Harris. As part of sentencing, the court ordered Pollitt to forfeit the cellphone used in the commission of the crimes—a device that now stands as forensic evidence of his predation.

This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative launched in May 2006 to combat the explosion of child sexual exploitation. Through coordinated federal, state, and local efforts, the program targets offenders, rescues victims, and strengthens public awareness. For more information, visit www.justice.gov/psc.

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