Alabama Man Sentenced In Missoula To 22 Years For Child Porn

A 33-year-old former day care worker from Alabama has been sentenced to nearly 22 years in prison for pretending to be an 11-year-old girl in order to entice a Montana boy to send him sexually explicit videos of himself over the Internet.

Robert Shane Wilkins of Birmingham, Ala., was sentenced Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy in Missoula. Wilkins pleaded guilty in April to sexual exploitation, conspiracy to sexually exploit children, distribution of child pornography and conspiracy to distribute child pornography.

Prosecutors say Wilkins and a co-defendant sent several child pornography videos to a 10-year-old boy, who produced images of himself in return.

Attorney Thomas J. Spina sought a 15-year sentence, arguing Wilkins wandered astray in the anonymity of the Internet.

Prosecutors say the investigation turned up more than 2,000 videos.
Associated Press