Illinois Man Sentenced to 35 Years in Federal Prison for Production of Child Pornography

Montgomery, ALABAMA - On July 31, 2024, a federal judge in Montgomery, Alabama ordered 31-year-old Brenden Neil Noel, a resident of Danforth, Illinois, to serve 35 years in prison for producing child pornography, announced United States Attorney Jonathan S. Ross. The judge also ordered that Noel remain on supervised release for life following his prison term. Restitution to Noel's victims will be determined at a later date. There is no parole in the federal system.

According to Noel's plea agreement and other court records, in November of 2022, law enforcement received evidence of explicit communications on various messaging apps between an unknown individual and two females under the age of 14 in the Middle District of Alabama. Investigators discovered that the messages originated from Noel's residence in Illinois and law enforcement contacted him shortly thereafter. Agents then examined various electronic devices belonging to Noel. They found, stored on the devices, numerous images and videos containing suspected child pornography. In his plea agreement, Noel specifically admitted that he had coerced victims he knew to be under the age of 14 to send him nude images. Noel also admitted that, while he participated in video calls with minor victims, he persuaded the victims to engage in sexually explicit conduct. Noel recorded the conduct using a second phone. Noel pleaded guilty to production of child pornography in federal court on April 2, 2024.

During the investigation, agents learned that Noel had previously been convicted in Illinois of aggravated criminal sexual assault, requiring him to register as a sex offender.

"Crimes targeting children are most disturbing," said United States Attorney Ross. "Offenses like Noel's have lifelong consequences for the victims. Through the hard work of law enforcement agencies, Noel will not be able to cause further harm to young people."

"Protecting our children is of paramount importance, and the FBI along with our law enforcement partners will work tirelessly to prevent their victimization and to hold accountable those who abuse them," said FBI Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.

The FBI Mobile Field Office and the Chilton County Sheriff's Office investigated this case, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and the Alabama Attorney General's Office. Assistant United States Attorney Tara S. Ratz prosecuted the case.