A Saltillo man was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his possession of child sexual abuse pictures and videos.
Court documents indicate that in April of 2020, Dennis Gene Sullivan, 46, was setting up a computer system for a local business when he arranged for the computer to download and save computer files containing images and videos of child sexual abuse. Sullivan used a peer-to-peer software program to make those files available to other users.
Sullivan has a prior 2004 federal conviction for possession of images and videos of child sexual abuse.
On Thursday, Sullivan appeared for sentencing on these offenses in federal court in Oxford and was sentenced to serve a total of 120 months in prison, which would be followed by 5 years of supervised release.
Sullivan was also ordered to pay $28,000 worth of restitution to eight individuals who were victims of the abuse depicted in those images or videos.
“This is a repeat offender who has an obvious sexual interest in children,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “Individuals like this defendant deserve every minute of every day that they can be incarcerated, and our office will always prioritize the safety of the most vulnerable in our society.”
Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch also commented about the case, noting that Sullivan was caught with the help of both law enforcement and community members.
“This investigation started with a simple tip that led us to investigate and discover this horrendous crime,” Fitch explained. “I am grateful for the cooperation and dedication of our ICAC partners that help us protect our most vulnerable citizens. If you suspect a child is in danger, please report it. Your assistance could be the key to protecting others.”
