Fort Myers Man Sentenced To 40 Years For Distributing And Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Images And Videos

Fort Myers, Florida - U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Richard Edward Brillhart (44, Fort Myers) to 40 years in federal prison for distribution and possession of images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. Brillhart was also ordered to serve a lifetime of supervised release and register as a sex offender. A federal jury had found Brillhart guilty on February 7, 2024.

According to court documents, between April and August 2021, several social media applications provided cybertips to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) reporting that Brillhart was involved in the possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material on various social media platforms. On September 8, 2021, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) executed a search warrant at Brillhart's residence and seized his cellphone. A subsequent forensic examination of Brillhart's cellphone revealed images and videos of children being sexually abused.

Further, Brillhart had a prior conviction for possession of materials involving the sexual exploitation of minors from 2004.

"The sentencing of Richard Brillhart to four decades sends a clear message that our community will not tolerate the exploitation of children, in any form," said Homeland Security Investigations Tampa Assistant Special Agent in Charge Micah C. McCombs. "The Southwest Florida INTERCEPT Task Force, South Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Fort Myers Police Department, Lee County Sheriff's Office, and the Louisiana Bureau of Investigations work tirelessly to make impacts every day to hold those who engage in the possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material accountable."

This case was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations, the Southwest Florida Inter-Agency Child Exploitation and Persons Trafficking Task Force (INTERCEPT), which is comprised of detectives and investigative specialist who are part of the South Florida Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force and are cross designated Task Force Officers with HSI. The Fort Myers Police Department, the Lee County Sheriff's Office, and the Louisiana Bureau of Investigations assisted with this investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Yolande G. Viacava.

This 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 the 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.