Middle Georgia man sentenced for dealing meth, child sexual abuse material

HOUSTON COUNTY, Ga. - Houston County prosecutors say a Warner Robins man will spend the next decade in prison after pleading guilty Monday to child pornography and methamphetamine charges in two separate cases.

Judge Katherine Lumsden sentenced 43-year-old Bryan Travis Santiago to 30 years just before jury selection was set to begin. 

The backstory:

The narcotics case began in August 2022 when deputies pulled Santiago over for not wearing a seatbelt. Officials say he consented to a vehicle search and methamphetamine and distribution paraphernalia were found.

The child pornography case started with a tip from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s Internet Crimes Against Children division. Investigators say the task force found evidence Santiago was sharing images of suspected child pornography at his home. Several electronic devices were seized during a search warrant and when they were later analyzed, multiple images depicting child sexual exploitation.

What they're saying:

Assistant District Attorney Justin Duane said, "If you download and share naked pictures of little kids, our law enforcement will find out. Mr. Santiago was found out and will spend the next ten years of his life in prison and the rest of his life on the sex offender registry. Although we do not believe that Mr. Santiago personally knew any of the children in the photos, a child is victimized every time their picture is viewed. Thank you to GBI and the Sheriff’s Office for helping discover this heinous behavior and getting Mr. Santiago off the street."

District Attorney Eric Z. Edwards said, "These two cases taken together paint a troubling but important picture of why aggressive, coordinated law enforcement work matters. Mr. Santiago was not only dealing dangerous narcotics in our community, but was also actively participating in the exploitation of children through the possession and sharing of child sexual abuse material. These are precisely the kinds of offenders who pose a serious and ongoing threat to public safety.

"I want to commend the Houston County Sheriff’s Office for their diligent investigative work in both the narcotics and ICAC components of this case, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation for their critical role in identifying and referring the child exploitation activity for prosecution. I am also proud of the work of Assistant District Attorneys Justin Duane and Mike Smith in securing a substantial prison sentence and lifetime registration requirements that will continue to protect this community long after Mr. Santiago’s release. Let this case serve as a clear warning: whether the crime involves drugs, the exploitation of children, or both, our office and our law enforcement partners will pursue it relentlessly and hold offenders fully accountable."

What's next:

Santiago will serve the first 10 years in prison with the remaining 20 to spend on probation.

When he is released, Santiago must register as a sex offender and complete both sex offender and drug offender probation conditions.