Joshua Adam Tatro, Child Pornography Production, FL 2023

Joshua Adam Tatro, 24, of Merritt Island, Florida, is headed to federal prison for 350 years after being convicted on multiple counts of producing, receiving, and possessing child pornography. U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. handed down the sentence in Orlando, ensuring Tatro will likely never see freedom again. The charges stemmed from a horrifying pattern of abuse involving a three-year-old child, captured in graphic videos and images over a five-month span.

Tatro was found guilty following a bench trial on July 6, 2016, after prosecutors presented overwhelming evidence of his crimes. Between October 2014 and March 2015, he produced child pornography on nine separate occasions, each involving the sexual abuse of the toddler. He didn’t just hoard the material—he actively shared it. Using a messaging app on his phone, Tatro distributed the images to others and uploaded them to a private online account, exposing the child to further exploitation.

The investigation began after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children flagged Tatro’s online activity. On March 17, 2015, Brevard County Sheriff’s Office agents raided his residence. They found cell phones in his pocket and bedroom—devices that would later reveal the full extent of his depravity. Forensic analysis uncovered 76 videos and 692 photos of child pornography on his phones alone. His online drive held more than 1,000 additional illegal images, many showing children under 12 enduring sexual abuse.

Tatro admitted it all during questioning. He confessed to producing the videos, to molesting the child, and to sending the explicit files through encrypted messaging. The evidence painted a picture of a predator who weaponized technology to document and disseminate his crimes. The court ordered the permanent forfeiture of all electronic devices used in the offenses—his phones, hard drives, and any tool that enabled his abuse.

“This predator will spend the rest of his life behind bars, where he can no longer harm children,” said Susan L. McCormick, special agent in charge of HSI Tampa. “The dedicated work of HSI special agents and our Brevard County Sheriff’s Office partners have made our communities a safer place.” The case was investigated jointly by the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.

Assistant United States Attorney Andrew C. Searle prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation. Launched in 2006, the program brings together federal, state, and local agencies to hunt down offenders and rescue victims. For more information, visit www.justice.gov/psc.