Robert Clonts, a registered sex offender from Borrego Springs, has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for possessing child sex abuse material. The sentence was handed down in San Diego after Clonts was found with approximately 147 images of such material.
The case began when the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received information from an online service provider about a customer who uploaded these images on May 25, 2023. This information was passed to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), which identified Clonts as the uploader.
Clonts admitted during his arrest in December 2023 that he had obtained and viewed child pornography on various devices. He confirmed that his email address and phone number matched those linked to the account responsible for uploading the explicit images.
On August 13, 2024, Clonts pleaded guilty to possessing images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Public documents revealed that he had a prior conviction from 1990 for lewd acts with a child under age 14, requiring him to register as a sex offender.
U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath stated, "This defendant’s actions are a grave violation of both the law and human decency," emphasizing that those endangering children will face justice. FBI San Diego Special Agent in Charge Stacey Moy added, "This sentence should send a clear message that individuals who think they can get away with sexually exploiting children will be vehemently sought by law enforcement and ultimately brought to justice."
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Sherwood is prosecuting this case.
Clonts faced charges under Title 18, U.S.C., Section 2452(a)(4)(B) for possession of images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The maximum penalty includes up to twenty years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.