U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang has sentenced Brian Patrick Werth, a 40-year-old resident of Beltsville, Maryland, to 37 years in federal prison for producing child sexual abuse material. Following his prison term, Werth will undergo 25 years of supervised release.
The sentencing was announced by Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, alongside Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy from Homeland Security Investigations.
Werth was found guilty of coercing and enticing minors into sexually explicit conduct and engaging with them as a registered sex offender. Upon release, he must register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act and is prohibited from contacting children under 18 without permission. He is also required to submit to computer monitoring.
A jury determined that between January and June 2021, Werth used internet applications WhatsApp and Kik to communicate with minor females aged 11 and 15. During these communications, he persuaded them to produce sexually explicit videos.
This case falls under Project Safe Childhood, an initiative by the Department of Justice launched in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse through collaboration among federal, state, and local resources.
U.S. Attorney Barron expressed gratitude towards Homeland Security Investigations and the Maryland State Police Department for their roles in the investigation and prosecution. He also acknowledged Assistant U.S. Attorney LaShanta Harris for leading the prosecution.
Further information about Project Safe Childhood can be accessed at www.justice.gov/psc, including Internet safety education resources available on the website's "Resources" tab.
For details on community outreach initiatives by the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.