COLUMBUS, Ohio — A federal jury has convicted registered sex offender Thomas A. Sweeney, 48, of producing child pornography, attempting to coerce a minor, receiving illicit images, and committing sex crimes while under registration. The verdict, delivered after a trial that began January 17, lands the repeat predator back in the crosshairs of federal justice.
Sweeney used his cellphone to pressure a 14-year-old girl into taking and sending sexually explicit photos, court records reveal. He then attempted to escalate the abuse by coercing her into physical sexual contact. The crimes were uncovered through digital forensics and a coordinated probe by the Franklin County Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.
This isn’t Sweeney’s first run-in with the law. In 2004, he was convicted in Franklin County Common Pleas Court on two counts of rape involving a minor. He served two consecutive five-year prison terms—a sentence that failed to prevent further predation.
Charged via criminal complaint on February 11, 2016, Sweeney was later indicted by a federal grand jury on March 31, 2016, and faced an upgraded case with a superseding indictment on January 12, 2017. The prosecution was led by U.S. Attorney Benjamin C. Glassman and Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather A. Hill.
The stakes are high at sentencing. Production of child pornography carries 25 to 50 years in prison. Attempted coercion of a minor can bring a life sentence. Receipt of child pornography adds 15 to 40 years. Because Sweeney was already a registered sex offender, a mandatory 10-year enhancement must be served consecutively.
The Franklin County ICAC Task Force—a coalition including Homeland Security Investigations, Columbus Police, Ohio BCI, and multiple local law enforcement agencies—credits interagency collaboration for the conviction. Officials warn that predators like Sweeney exploit technology to target children, but federal and local forces are closing the net.
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