Toddler’s Abuser Sentenced to 60 Years
Jason Barber, 39, of Las Vegas, Nevada, has been sentenced to 60 years in federal prison for producing child pornography that depicted his abuse of a two-year-old toddler he was babysitting. Barber pleaded guilty to all counts in the indictment.
According to court documents, Barber convinced the toddler’s mother to allow him to babysit the child while she was at work. Barber had met the mother’s boyfriend, Benedict Shaw, in an online chatroom and requested that he send him a cellphone and diapers. Shaw, a Lauderhill, Florida resident, sent Barber a package containing the requested items, which he used to record a video of himself sexually abusing the child.
Barber then sent the video and several still images to Shaw via email. Shaw, who previously pleaded guilty to his involvement in the production of child pornography, was sentenced in October 2014 to 45 years’ imprisonment. Barber’s 60-year sentence was handed down by U.S. District Court Judge Robert N. Scola Jr in Miami, Florida.
Acting U.S. Attorney Benjamin G. Greenberg commended the investigative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Fort Lauderdale Police Department, South Florida Internet Crimes against Child Task Force (ICAC), and North Las Vegas Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Francis Viamontes and Jodi Anton prosecuted the case.
The investigation began in 2013 when the South Florida ICAC received two cyber tips regarding several email accounts suspected of trading dozens of images depicting child pornography. Law enforcement identified an IP address used to access one of the email accounts and obtained a search warrant at the residence of Benedict Shaw, where they found evidence linking him to Barber.
Barber’s abuse was exposed after investigators obtained a cellphone and other items sent to him by Shaw, which were used to record the child pornography video. Barber’s sentence serves as a reminder of the severity of child abuse and the importance of holding perpetrators accountable.
Related Federal Cases
- FDIC Appoints Five New Members to Advisory Committee on Community Banking · Mississippi
- Live Nation Faces Trial Over Monopoly Practices · Washington
- Timothy G. Fisher Guilty in $179M Sham Loan Scheme · Illinois
- Ammon Covino Sentenced to Additional Prison Term for Illegal Marine Life Trade · Texas
- Deborah Petty Convicted in $44K Food Stamp ID Theft Scheme · Texas
Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: Sex Crimes|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
