Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Charlene E. Honeywell today sentenced 27 year-old Pinellas Park resident, Robert Joseph Ware to 23 years in federal prison for producing child pornography.  His address of record is in the 8000 block of 64th Street North.

He was taken into custody in Pinellas County by the United States Marshals Service on May 9, 2017.

Ware had pleaded guilty on December 20, 2017.

According to court documents, on December 10, 2011, Ware produced three images of child pornography depicting him sexually abusing an infant that he had been babysitting. He sent the images via text message to an individual in New York. The investigation and prosecution of the individual in New York revealed the child pornography produced by Ware. When federal agents arrested Ware on May 9, 2017, he had 90 images of child pornography on his cellphone.

This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer L. Peresie.

“Only the worst depraved criminal would produce child pornography with an infant left in his care,” said HSI Tampa Special Agent in Charge James C. Spero. “This egregious crime reminds us all to remain vigilant in the protection of our children.”

It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.