Cincinnati man gets 20 years for child porn distribution

CINCINNATI - A man who pleaded guilty to two counts of distributing child pornography has been sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Timothy M. Fitzpatrick, 37, of Cincinnati, was sentenced in U.S. District Court Wednesday after he sent pornographic images of children to an undercover officer last year. After his sentence, Fitzpatrick will be under court supervision for the rest of his life.

The undercover officer responded to a Craigslist advertisement in November seeking young boys who were "into taboo or whatever.” The officer posed as a foster parent to two boys and arranged to meet Fitzpatrick, who sent some pornographic images to the officer.

Officers later met with Fitzpatrick, identified themselves and obtained a search warrant for his house. Forensic analysis of computer storage media in the home showed children under the age of 12 “being subjected to violence or sadistic activities,” according to a release from the Greater Cincinnati Internet Crimes Against Children task force.

The task force comprises the Amberley Village, Blue Ash, Cincinnati and West Chester police departments, as well as the Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office and several national agencies.

Fitzpatrick has been in custody since his Dec. 21 arrest.