CINCINNATI — Investigators say Rain Phoenix-Brown asked others online to send him child sex abuse material.
When police later searched the 24-year-old's Evendale home, court records say forensic examinations of his electronic devices uncovered thousands of files — including AI-generated sexual images involving minors and numerous photographs of real children.
Now, Phoenix-Brown is admitting to four felonies stemming from the investigation.
WATCH: Man pleads guilty after investigation finds photos of local students, sexual abuse material
Phoenix-Brown pleaded guilty in Hamilton County court Tuesday to three counts of pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor and one count of tampering with evidence. He had originally pleaded not guilty to the charges in March.
Investigation uncovered thousands of files
The case began with an investigation into Phoenix-Brown's online activity.
According to court records, investigators found conversations on Telegram and Discord in which Phoenix-Brown allegedly requested sexual material involving children.
One exchange detailed in a police affidavit involved another user saying they had a sexually explicit video involving an animal and another video they described as “questionable.” Investigators said Phoenix-Brown repeatedly asked the person to send the material.
Police said the video Phoenix-Brown ultimately received depicted a girl investigators estimated to be about 14 years old engaged in a sex act with a dog.
During the investigation, Phoenix-Brown also allegedly told police about previously receiving a video depicting what he described as an approximately 4-year-old child engaged in sexual acts with an adult.
In February, Evendale police executed a search warrant at Phoenix-Brown's home, seizing his cellphone, iPad, laptop and other electronic devices.
According to the affidavit, forensic examinations produced thousands of images depicting AI-generated minors or anime characters engaged in sexual acts.
Investigators said they also found numerous images of real children, including photographs of students from a verified local parochial school. It's unclear which one.
Court records do not explain why Phoenix-Brown had those students' photographs or how he obtained them.
WCPO reached out to the Archdiocese of Cincinnati for comment but did not hear back Tuesday.
Assistant Hamilton County Prosecutor Elyse Deters told the judge Tuesday that investigators believed Phoenix-Brown did more than possess some of the material.
“There are multiple videos and images that we believe the defendant engaged in sending, but we cannot prove sending, so it is possession charges,” Deters said.
Investigators said they also found deleted digital files.
According to the indictment, Phoenix-Brown altered, destroyed, concealed or removed digital files on Feb. 12 while knowing an investigation was underway or likely to begin.
That resulted in the third-degree felony tampering with evidence charge.
Tuesday's guilty plea also resolved the possibility of additional charges.
Phoenix-Brown's defense attorney told the court prosecutors had brought a “series of other charges” to the defense's attention.
Rather than pursue those allegations through the grand jury, the two sides reached an agreement: Phoenix-Brown would plead guilty to all four charges in the existing indictment, and prosecutors would not pursue additional tampering and other related charges.
Phoenix-Brown faces six to 18 months in prison on each of the three fourth-degree felony pandering charges and nine to 36 months on the third-degree felony tampering charge.
If the judge orders the sentences to run consecutively, Phoenix-Brown could spend as much as 7 1/2 years in prison. The court also discussed the possibility of sex offender registration.
Phoenix-Brown is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 1.
