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Ricardo Gibson, a 46-year-old man from Willard, Ohio, has pleaded guilty to sending and receiving child pornography through a social media platform and to firearms charges. In May 2023, federal agents were investigating a report made by an online marketplace seller about a man who was buying her children’s used clothing and sending her provocative images of prepubescent girls. Gibson was identified and found to have continued to express his sexual interest in children and send child sexual abuse materials (CSAM) to the seller.
During a search warrant execution at his residence, agents found two cellphones, adult sex toys, little girl’s clothing, two handguns, three magazines, and 19, 9mm rounds of ammunition. A forensic analysis of his electronic devices uncovered 6,448 CSAM files in his possession. Gibson is scheduled to be sentenced on August 20, 2026, and faces a maximum prison sentence of 40 years for Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography and a 15-year maximum for being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Toledo Resident Agency, the Huron County Sheriff’s Office, and the Willard Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Sara Al-Sorghali and Frank H. Spryszak for the Northern District of Ohio. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.
Gibson’s guilty plea is a significant step in holding him accountable for his heinous crimes. The investigation and prosecution of this case demonstrate the commitment of law enforcement agencies to protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation.
Related Federal Cases
- Steve Nesbit, Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography, Ohio 2023 · Ohio
- Ronald Scott Gibson, Child Pornography Distribution, Ohio 2024 · Ohio
- Larry P. Smith, Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography, Ohio 2013 · Kentucky
- Christopher Helmick, Child Pornography Possession and Distribution, Ohio 2025 · Michigan
- Pete Mauro, Child Pornography Distribution, Ohio 2025 · Ohio
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