Man sentenced on child pornography charges

A Mentor man was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison on child pornography charges.

Sean P. McElhatten, 31, pleaded guilty in April to charges of receiving and distributing depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct as well as possession of child pornography. McElhatten was sentenced July 30 and was also ordered to pay $10,000 to the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act fund.

Investigators found more than 9,000 files of child pornography on McElhatten’s computer. Prosecutors described the files as a “disturbing range of content, including a prepubescent children being subjected to sadistic conduct and bestiality.” Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Sullivan said in a sentencing memorandum that McElhatten admitted to law enforcement that he searched for images and videos of children as young as 4 years old.

McElhatten also admitted to secretly filming two underage daughters of family friends undressing while on vacation in 2015. He told law enforcement in 2017 that the videos were still on his cell phone. He also admitted to stealing the underwear of one of the girls he videotaped.

Defense attorney Eric C. Nemeck wrote in a sentencing memorandum that McElhatten admittedly “did not appreciate the severity of his behavior at the time he committed the offenses.” Nemeck said that McElhatten disassociated himself from the victims, telling himself it was just a movie.

Nemeck said that McElhatten voluntarily sought treatment for sex addition and “gained a better understanding as to the magnitude of his conduct and its impact, although unintended, upon the individuals depicted in the materials that he viewed.”

The defense attorney asked for a lesser prison sentence for McElhatten followed by a “significant period of supervision through the probation office.” Nemeck argued that McElhatten’s lack of criminal history and commitment to rehabilitation demonstrates that he does not pose a threat to the community.

After hearing the defense, Federal Judge Benita Y. Pearson handed down the maximum possible prison sentence allowed by law to McElhatten.