Press release from the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Stephen Christopher Young, 58, residing in Gainesville, Florida, received a sentence of 121 months in prison for the receipt and attempted receipt of child pornography. This was announced by Michelle Spaven, the Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

Click here for Alachua Chronicle’s story about his arrest.

“Crimes targeting children are inexcusable,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Spaven. “Individuals who view and keep child pornography contribute to the exploitation of children by those who create and profit from this unlawful material. We will relentlessly collaborate with law enforcement to ensure these criminals are prosecuted to the fullest extent.”

In March 2024, investigators carried out a federal search warrant at Young’s home, where it was uncovered that he had been sharing child pornography with others through various applications designed to bypass detection using end-to-end encryption.

Young’s prison sentence will be followed by a lifetime of supervised release. He was ordered to pay $20,500 in restitution. Young will also be required to register as a sex offender and be subject to all sex offender conditions.

“It’s crucial to prioritize the protection of children from sexual abuse,” said Alachua County Sheriff Chad Scott.

The case was investigated by Internet Crime Against Children Task Force Gainesville Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Meredith Steer and Adam Hapner prosecuted the case.

“This case is another example of the FBI’s relentless commitment to protecting children by removing predators from our community,” said Jason Carley, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jacksonville. “Let this be a lesson to others who prey on vulnerable kids; the FBI and our partners will never stop working to identify, pursue, and hold child predators accountable.”

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.