CLEARWATER, Fla. – A Clearwater man will spend the next seven and a half years in federal prison following a sentence handed down by U.S. District Judge William F. Jung. Zachary William Thomas, 29, received the judgment after pleading guilty on October 7, 2025, to the distribution and possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
The sentencing, announced by U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe, follows an investigation that began in early 2024.
Court records detail a series of online interactions occurring between February 13 and February 16, 2024, in which Thomas used a social media application to chat with another individual. During these exchanges, Thomas sent and received illicit images and videos.
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Following these digital interactions, the FBI executed a search warrant at Thomas’s residence. During the search, agents seized two cellphones belonging to Thomas. Forensic analysis of the devices uncovered hundreds of images and videos of CSAM.
Beyond his 90-month prison term, Thomas has been ordered to pay $9,000 in restitution and will be required to register as a sex offender.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ross Roberts.
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