Dacula man gets 10 years in prison for child exploitation
FILE - Image of handcuffs on a table. (Bernd Wüstneck/picture alliance via Getty Images)
GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. - A 29-year-old Dacula man was sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to sharing explicit photos and videos of toddlers over social media.
Patrick Joseph Abedamowo pled guilty to 10 counts of sexual exploitation of children. A Gwinnett County judge sentenced him to 30 years with 10 years to serve behind bars, followed by 10 years of probation. Abedamowo was also ordered to register as a sex offender.
What we know:
Prosecutors presented evidence during a plea hearing showing that Abedamowo shared videos of toddlers being sexually abused by adult men from his home. The content was distributed online using the Kik social media platform.
During the court proceedings, Abedamowo's attorney argued that the videos posed "no harm" and asked the court to give his client probation only. The judge denied the request and ordered the prison term.
What we don't know:
Authorities have not shared how long Abedamowo was distributing the illicit files before being caught.
What they're saying:
Gwinnett County District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson strongly condemned the defendant's conduct following the sentencing.
"The defendant's actions are unconscionable," District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson said. "We are steadfast in our determination to protect the most vulnerable of our population."
The Source: The information in this article was gathered from the Office of the District Attorney Gwinnett Judicial Circuit.