American citizen sentenced to 10 years in prison for child pornography

Tbilisi City Court has sentenced an American citizen, one of nine to be tried in a child pornography case in Georgia, to 10 years in prison.

The American citizen is one of the defendants in a child pornography case with whom the Tbilisi City Court has approved a plea agreement.

The other eight face from four to six years in prison after admitting the crime, while yet another defendant, who denied the charges, has been sentenced to six years in prison. 

A criminal group involving 11 individuals was detained on charges of children trafficking and making child pornography in a joint operation of Georgian, the United States, Australian law enforcers and Europol last September. Ten of 11 individuals had been sent to pretrial detention. 

• 10 of 11 detained for child trafficking, pornography sent to pretrial detention
• 11 detained for child trafficking, child pornography, including school teacher

The Georgian Interior Ministry then reported that the citizens of the US and Australia had a photo salon in a rented apartment in Tbilisi, where, with the help of their Georgian associates, they were making children pornography to sell abroad.

Reportedly, 10 girls aged 8-14 were forced to be involved in the illegal activity by their parents and others.

The crime is initially punishable by 17 to 20 years in prison or life imprisonment.