Tayanna Bowman, Child Pornography, Pennsylvania 2021

A Philadelphia woman who worked with autistic children has been sentenced to over nine years in prison for distributing child pornography. Tayanna Bowman, 25, of Philadelphia, PA, was sentenced to nine years and two months in prison, twenty years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $3,000 assessment by United States District Court Judge Michael M. Baylson.

In March 2021, Bowman pleaded guilty to distribution and attempted distribution of child pornography. She distributed videos and images of child pornography on the Internet using Kik Messenger while employed as a behavioral health technician at ChanceLight Autism Services, a regional childcare service provider specializing in behavioral health support for children with autism.

Bowman’s job at ChanceLight Autism Services was to provide behavioral health support to children with autism. However, the investigation revealed that she was secretly distributing child pornography online. “This defendant chose a line of work providing care to vulnerable, autistic children, and at the same time, she participated in the sexual abuse and exploitation of children by engaging with an online community interested in such abhorrent acts,” said U.S. Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams. “It is our duty to protect the most vulnerable members of society and we will continue to uphold that duty by bringing to justice anybody who preys upon minor children.”

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelly Harrell. “Bowman betrayed the trust her students and their parents placed in her. Although today’s sentencing cannot repair the damage Bowman caused, it sends the message that the FBI remains committed to hunting down child predators and delivering justice to their victims,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Jacqueline Maguire.

Bowman’s past job at Cynthia’s Little Treasures Daycare in West Philadelphia as a teaching assistant was also scrutinized during the investigation. The investigation revealed that Bowman distributed child pornography on the Internet using Kik Messenger while employed at both institutions.

Tayanna Bowman, a Philadelphia woman who worked with autistic children, has been sentenced to over nine years in prison for distributing child pornography. The case was investigated by the FBI and is a reminder of the importance of protecting vulnerable members of society. The incident is a cautionary tale for institutions that hire individuals who may have a history of similar offenses.

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