Keith Blake Clifton, 31, was sentenced to 20 years in prison Wednesday for creating images of a child while sexually assaulting the victim and sharing child sexual abuse material using a mobile messaging app.
The investigation began after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children notified law enforcement that a mobile messaging app user was circulating images and videos of child sexual abuse material. Investigators from the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Task Force identified the user as Clifton, who lives in Itawamba County. Investigators found over 1,000 images of child sexual abuse material on Clifton’s devices, including depictions of infants and toddlers.
Investigators later revealed to Clifton that he sexually molested a youngster under his care and documented the incident. Clifton is also facing a state indictment in Mississippi’s Itawamba County Circuit Court, where the accusations are still pending.
Chief U.S. District Court Judge Debra M. Brown sentenced Clifton to 180 months in prison for producing child sexual abuse material and 60 months in prison for distribution, both to be served consecutively. Clifton will undergo 5 years of supervised release after completing his 240-month term in federal prison. The court ordered that victims get $66,500 in reparations. Clifton will be asked to register as a sexual offender.
“The actions of Clifton were abhorrent, and such acts against a child will never be tolerated. The prevention and prosecution of crimes against the most vulnerable among us will always be a top priority of this office,” said U.S. Attorney Scott Leary. “I want to thank our state, local and federal law enforcement partners for this investigation that made it possible to protect our community from this defendant.”
“When children are victimized, the FBI, along with our law enforcement partners, will bring to bear every effort to ensure perpetrators, like Keith Clifton are held accountable. There is no justification to victimize and abuse our most vulnerable,” stated Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jackson Field Office Robert Eikhoff. “This sentencing underscores the unwavering commitment of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the Itawamba County Sheriff’s Department, the Fulton Police Department, the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Mississippi. Through initiatives such as Project Safe Childhood, these agencies remain steadfast in identifying, investigating, and bringing to justice anyone who violates federal laws designed to protect our children.”
“Child sexual abuse is a horrific crime that does extraordinary physical, mental, and emotional damage to the victim. And when it is recorded or photographed, that child’s trauma occurs over and over again. We are proud to work with our federal, state, and local partners to help these victims achieve justice and closure, and help protect other children from abuse,” said Attorney General Lynn Fitch.
The Mississippi Attorney General’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation both investigated the matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Julie Addison prosecuted the case.
The case against Clifton is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide effort established by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to tackle the growing pandemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Project Safe Childhood, led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children on the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. Visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov for more information.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s CyberTipline system and the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) also link to this case. ICAC is a program that brings together law enforcement at all levels and the communities they serve to protect children online. The Mississippi Attorney General’s Office manages the Mississippi ICAC Task Force, which includes local, state, and federal law enforcement officers.
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