Hyatt-Baney Gets 17 Years for Toddler Exploitation

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Thomas Hyatt-Baney, 22, formerly of Wampum, Pennsylvania, will spend the next 17 years in federal prison after being sentenced for the horrific production of child sexual abuse material. Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced the sentence today, a grim reminder of the predators lurking in plain sight. The sentence doesn’t stop there – Hyatt-Baney will also face 15 years of supervised release upon his eventual discharge.

U.S. District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand handed down the sentence on August 28, 2025, acknowledging the depravity of Hyatt-Baney’s actions. While the court ordered restitution, the amount will be determined at a future hearing, offering little solace to the victim(s) of this monstrous crime. The details revealed in court paint a chilling picture of calculated abuse.

Prosecutors detailed how, on June 25, 2023, Hyatt-Baney used his phone to create three separate video clips depicting the sexual exploitation of a toddler. The timeframe – a mere seven minutes, from 12:30 p.m. to 12:37 p.m. ET – underscores the cold, deliberate nature of the offense. But the three videos weren’t isolated incidents. Evidence presented showed Hyatt-Baney was also responsible for the creation of another video exploiting the same toddler, and possessed hundreds of additional videos and still images depicting the sexual abuse of other minors.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch spearheaded the prosecution, building a solid case that brought Hyatt-Baney to justice. Rivetti was quick to praise the collaborative efforts of the Pennsylvania State Police and Homeland Security Investigations, stating their diligent work was instrumental in securing the conviction. This case serves as a stark warning: those who prey on the innocent will be relentlessly pursued.

This prosecution falls under the umbrella of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice. The program aims to combat the escalating epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse by pooling federal, state, and local resources to identify, apprehend, and prosecute offenders, and to rescue victims. It’s a grim necessity in a world where such horrors continue to surface.

The fight against child exploitation is far from over. Those with information regarding suspected child abuse are urged to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST or visit www.justice.gov/psc to learn more about Project Safe Childhood and how to report potential abuse. Hyatt-Baney’s sentence is a step towards accountability, but the real work lies in preventing such atrocities from happening in the first place.