Southwest Georgia Man Sentenced to 60 Years in Prison for Producing Child Sexual Assault Material

ALBANY, Ga. - A Lee County, Georgia, resident who admitted to producing child sexual assault material involving minor victims was sentenced to the statutory maximum prison term for his crimes.

James Henry Norris, 38, of Leesburg, Georgia, was sentenced to serve a total of 720 months in prison (360 months for each count) to be followed by 25 years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Louis Sands today after he pleaded guilty to two counts of production of child sexual assault material. In addition, Norris will have to register as a sex offender for life upon his release from federal prison. There is no parole.

The plea agreement in this case remains sealed for the protection of the minor victims at the request of the U.S. Attorney's Office.

"Law enforcement is committed to doing everything in our power to combat the exploitation and sexual assault of children," said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. "To that end, our office will pursue the maximum punishment allowed under law for those caught producing child sexual assault material."

"The families of the minor victims and the victims themselves in this case could never find justice in any sentence Norris could have received," said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. "The FBI will work tirelessly with our partners to protect our children against those who seek to harm them."

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. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the DOJ's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

The case was investigated by FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leah McEwen is prosecuting this case.