Fairhope Man Sentenced to 60 Months for Child Pornography Offense

United States Attorney Richard W. Moore of the Southern District of Alabama announced that Tadd Mitchell, 58, of Fairhope, Alabama, was sentenced in federal court on a charge of receipt of child pornography.  Mitchell pled guilty to the charge in March of 2020. 

According to court documents filed in connection with his guilty plea, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency received a tip that an email address associated with the defendant had received images of child pornography.  The images were reviewed and found to contain graphic and lascivious depictions of the genitalia of pre-pubescent females.  On November 6, 2019, investigators with BCSO, Fairhope Police, ALEA, Gulf Shores Police and HSI executed a search warrant at Mitchell’s residence.  Mitchell was interviewed, and admitted to viewing and possessing child pornography.  Mitchell’s phone was seized and analyzed.  There were 43 images and videos of child pornography found on his phone, as well as a search history indicative of searching for images of child pornography.  Mitchell’s laptop was also seized and analyzed.  There were 250 images and videos found on the laptop.

United States District Court Chief Judge Kristi DuBose imposed a sentence of 60 months imprisonment.  The judge ordered that Mitchell serve a fifteen-year term of supervised release beginning upon his discharge from prison.  Upon his release from prison, Mitchell will be required to undergo sex offender treatment and to register as a sex offender.  Judge DuBose ordered that Mitchell pay $5100 in special assessments and $5000 in restitution.  Mitchell will be prohibited from have any contact with minors that are not his own children.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals, federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood and for information about internet safety education, visit www.usdoj.gov/psc

The case was investigated by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office.  It was prosecuted in the United States Attorney’s Office by Assistant United States Attorney Kacey Chappelear.