An 80-year-old man from Richardson, Texas, has been sentenced to 60 years in federal prison for sexually abusing a seven-year-old child. The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, Chad E. Meacham.
George Kenneth Orton, Jr., was found guilty on two counts of sexual exploitation of a child by a jury in October 2024. Evidence presented during the trial revealed that agents had discovered a USB drive and two laptops containing child sexual abuse material at his residence.
On May 14, 2025, Orton appeared before District Judge Brantley Starr for sentencing. Judge Starr imposed consecutive maximum sentences of 360 months for each count, totaling 720 months in federal prison. Judge Starr described Orton's actions as "unspeakable" and stated that there was no justification to reduce the statutory maximum sentence on each count despite Orton's age.
FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock commented on the case: “The FBI is proud to collaborate with our law enforcement partners every single day to ensure anyone involved in criminal behavior against a child is brought to justice. The significant sentence given to the defendant sends a clear message that crimes against children will not be tolerated.”
Acting U.S. Attorney Meacham commended the efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office and the Richardson Police Department for their roles in investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marissa Aulbaugh and Brandie Wade were responsible for prosecuting.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse nationwide. The program coordinates resources at federal, state, and local levels to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children while identifying and rescuing victims.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood or internet safety education resources, visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.