NORFOLK, Va. — An Arizona man was sentenced to 30 years in prison for producing child pornography. The victim of his crime was a 14-year-old girl from Norfolk.
Court documents state the following:
- The man, 28-year-old Ethan Roberts of Tolleson, Arizona, met the girl online in January 2022.
- For seven months, Roberts engaged in “sexually explicit conversations” with the minor and repeatedly asked her to send him pictures of her.
- In August 2022, Roberts took a bus from Arizona to Norfolk, picked up the girl, and took her back to his Arizona apartment.
- The girl logged into her online gaming account in Arizona. Her friend noticed this online and told law enforcement. The FBI used information from her online gaming account to locate and rescue the girl.
In January, News 3 spoke with the victim's father, who had a message for other parents.
"Check every device," he said. Kids are going to hate you, but you have to do it for their safety."
On Wednesday, April 19, Roberts was sentenced to 30 years in prison for production of child sexual abuse material by Senior U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson.
