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A 76-year-old Bartlesville man who downloaded and viewed more than 1200 images and 79 videos of child pornography on his electronic devices pleaded guilty on Thursday in U.S. District Court.

Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson said Richard Lee Ryan Jr. pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography. U.S. District Judge John F. Heil III ordered the defendant to self-surrender to the U.S. Marshals Service on April 5, and set sentencing for June 30, 2021.

“Child pornography is not a victimless crime. For nearly a year, Richard Ryan Jr. hid behind a screen and downloaded images of children being exploited and raped. With every download and view, he revictimized those children again and again,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Thanks to our partners at the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations, Mr. Ryan will be held accountable for his actions.”

Ryan Jr. admitted that from June 26, 2019, to June 6, 2020, he knowingly possessed and viewed child pornography, which involved at least one prepubescent minor and a minor that had not attained 12 years of age engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

Investigators initially discovered Ryan Jr. when he uploaded an image of child pornography to a chat on an online messaging app. On June 6, 2020, a federal search warrant was executed at the defendant’s home and numerous electronic devices were seized, five of which contained child pornography. Investigators discovered 79 videos and more than 1200 images depicting child rape and bestiality on the devices.

The FBI and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin D. Hargrove and Christopher J. Nassar are prosecuting the case.