Colorado woman sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for producing child pornography while sexually abusing an infant

DENVER — A Colorado woman was sentenced last week by to 20 years in federal prison for producing child pornography while sexually abusing an infant.

This sentence was announced by the following agency heads: Acting U.S. Attorney Bob Troyer, District of Colorado; Acting Special Agent in Charge John Eisert, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Denver; and Lt. Christina Sheppard, Colorado Springs (Colorado) Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit.

U.S. District Court Judge Philip A. Brimmer also sentenced Brandi Leonard, 20, of Colorado Springs, to serve 10 years on supervised release after she completes her prison sentence.

Co-defendant Richard Hennis, 41, of Colorado Springs, was previously sentenced also by Judge Brimmer to 27 years in federal prison for producing and transporting child pornography.  Following his prison sentence, Hennis was also ordered to serve 10 years of supervised release.  Defendant Leonard, who appeared at the hearing in custody, was remanded at its conclusion.

Leonard and co-defendant Hennis were first charged by criminal complaints on March 11, 2016.  They were then indicted by a federal grand jury in Denver on April 5, 2016.  Leonard pleaded guilty to the charge April 13, 2017, and was sentenced Aug. 3.  Hennis pleaded guilty before Judge Brimmer on Nov. 21, 2016, and was sentenced April 19, 2017.

According to evidence presented in open court, as well as information contained in public filings, including the stipulated facts contained in Leonard’s plea agreement, Leonard and Hennis engaged in online chats spanning about one month.  Leonard told Hennis that she had sexually abused an infant.  Hennis encouraged Leonard to sexually abuse the infant again, to take pictures or video of the abuse, and to send them to him.  Leonard did exactly what Hennis had asked.  Law enforcement recovered the pictures that were produced of the infant from Hennis’s phone.  Hennis then sent the sexual abuse images of the infant to another individual he was communicating with online.

During their chats, the two defendants discussed in graphic detail kidnapping, raping, killing and dismembering a child between the ages of 4 and 8 years old.  Leonard twice during the chat indicated that she didn’t intend to go through with it.

“Understand this:  federal law enforcement has highly motivated, expert teams standing ready to present the harshest possible punishment if you victimize an infant,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Bob Troyer.

“Crimes perpetrated against children are especially heinous,” said John Eisert, acting special agent in charge of HSI Denver. “I’m proud of the work HSI and our law enforcement partners did to identify these malicious predators and rescue the victim in this egregious case — as well as prevent potential future crimes against other children.”

“The Colorado ICAC would like to thank all individuals that assisted with this investigation,” said ICAC Commander for Colorado, Lt. Christina Sheppard of the Colorado Springs Police Department. “Due to their tireless efforts a conviction was obtained and the defendant was sentenced appropriately.”

This case was investigated by HSI and the Colorado Springs Police Department’s ICAC Unit, with support provided by the Limon (Colorado) Police Department.

The defendants were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alecia L. Riewerts, assigned to the Cybercrime and National Security Section of the Colorado U.S. Attorney’s Criminal Division.

This investigation was conducted under HSI’s Operation Predator, an international initiative to protect children from sexual predators. Since the launch of Operation Predator in 2003, HSI has arrested more than 16,000 individuals for crimes against children, including the production and distribution of online child pornography, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking of children. In fiscal year 2016, more than 2,600 child predators were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative and more than 800 victims identified or rescued.

HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators. From outside the U.S. and Canada, callers should dial 802-872-6199. Hearing impaired users can call TTY 802-872-6196.

Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST.

For additional information about wanted suspected child predators, download HSI’s Operation Predator smartphone app or visit the online suspect alerts page. HSI is a founding member of the Virtual Global Taskforce, an international alliance of law enforcement agencies and private industry sector partners working together to prevent and deter online child sexual abuse.