Savannah Standard

A Burke County man has been sentenced to more than 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to sharing digital videos of child sexual abuse.

Kadarion Davonte Ellison, 27, of Waynesboro, Ga., who worked as a patient care technician at an Augusta hospital, was sentenced to 126 months in prison after pleading guilty to Distribution of Child Pornography, said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge J. Randal Hall also ordered Ellison to register as a sex offender and to serve 20 years of supervised release upon completion of his prison sentence.

There is no parole in the federal system.

“Child victims are subjected to endless trauma each time their images are shared online,” said U.S. Attorney Steinberg. “We applaud the vigilance of our law enforcement partners in identifying these predators for the protection of our most vulnerable citizens.”

As described in court documents and testimony, agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) detected child sexual abuse material being transferred via an internet application. With assistance from the Waynesboro Police Department, HSI investigators determined Ellison was purchasing and distributing child pornography online. During a search of Ellison’s residence, investigators seized multiple electronic devices found to contain thousands of videos and images of child sexual abuse material.

Judge Hall ordered Ellison to pay $60,000 in restitution to victims identified during the investigation with the assistance of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

“Finding and stopping those involved in the distribution of these disturbing images of children is one of our highest priorities,” said Anthony J. Patrone acting special agent in charge of HSI Atlanta that covers Georgia and Alabama. “I am appreciative of the amazing support of our law enforcement partners and the great work done on this case.”

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Waynesboro Police Department and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney and Project Safe Childhood Coordinator Jason W. Blanchard.

Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 800-843-5678 or https://report.cybertip.org/.