CLAY COUNTY, Fla. — A former Clay County Sheriff's deputy pleaded guilty Wednesday to producing and possessing child sexual abuse images, according to the United States Attorney's Office.
Travis Ryan Pritchard, 37, of Green Cove Springs pleaded guilty to one count of producing an image of a child being sexually abused and one count of possessing an image of a prepubescent child being sexually abused, according to a news release.
According to the plea agreement, at the time of the offenses, Pritchard was employed as a deputy with the Clay County Sheriff’s Office and was assigned to the DUI unit.
From December 2019 through May 2, Pritchard chatted with a 15-year-old online, the release said.
Documents say beginning on April 29, an undercover detective from the Green Cove Springs Police Department assumed the child’s identity and continued chatting with Pritchard.
During their chats, Pritchard encouraged the child to sneak out to meet with him for a “quickie," the release said.
Before their meeting, he sent a photograph of himself from the waist down, wearing only boxer shorts, according to authorities.
At approximately 2 a.m. on May 2, Pritchard arrived near the child’s home in his patrol vehicle and sent a message saying, “I’m here," the release said.
Shortly after, Pritchard was arrested by officers from the Green Cove Springs Police Department.
A forensic review of Pritchard’s cellphone showed multiple conversations between the child and Pritchard, as well as an encrypted secure digital folder that contained multiple depictions of child sexual abuse, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.
Pritchard faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years and up to 50 years in federal prison, as well as a life term of supervised release.
Authorities say Pritchard was indicted on May 20.