A Granbury man has been sentenced to 50 years in federal prison without the possibility of parole after an international investigation uncovered his involvement in child pornography.
Stephen Ashley Jr., 35, recorded himself molesting a 9-year-old girl and shared the video through the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. The file was discovered by law enforcement in Sydney, Australia, who traced it back to Ashley's residence in Granbury.
In March, U.S. authorities executed a search warrant at Ashley's home, where they recovered the phone containing the incriminating video, along with additional videos dating back two years. Ashley confessed to the crimes during the investigation.
Ashley pleaded guilty to federal charges, and on Friday, U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman sentenced him to 50 years in prison.
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