Man Posted Child Porn Images On Twitter, Tagged Officials

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FL — A 24-year-old Gibsonton man who pleaded guilty April 21 to possessing and distributing child pornography received his sentence from a U.S. district judge Monday, the State Attorney's Office said.

Marchaun Browning created several Twitter accounts in June 2017, and would tweet child sex abuse images and tag other Twitter accounts associated with elected officials, media outlets and public figures, court documents reported. His posts also had messages directed at the intended and tagged recipients.

Law enforcement officers obtained a search warrant at Browning's residence June 18, 2017. More than 160 images and one video showed sexual abuse of children, including some as young as toddlers, on Browning's electronic devices.

Browning will serve five years in federal prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, for distributing and possessing child pornography, the State Attorney's Office said.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.

This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.