Peyton man sentenced to 35 years for creation and distribution of child sexual abuse material

PEYTON, Colo. (KRDO) -- A 32-year-old from Peyton has been sentenced to over three decades in federal prison after pleading guilty to the production and distribution of child pornography that involved pictures and videos of a three-year-old victim.

Justin Welsh was sentenced to 35 years in federal prison, followed by 20 years of supervised release, according to the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado (USACO). The attorney's office also says that Welsh has been ordered to pay a $10,000 special assessment pursuant to the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act (AVAA).

The investigation into Welsh began when an internet service provider submitted a Cyber Tipline Report to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in July 2024, according to USACO.

USACO says the investigation found that Welsh had created sexually explicit pictures and videos of a three-year-old minor victim and distributed the content he created to another individual.  According to the plea agreement, the defendant also memorialized sexual contact he engaged in with a second minor and distributed that content as well.

“This defendant committed horrific crimes against young people in his care. This sentence puts him exactly where he belongs for the next several decades,” said United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Peter McNeilly.

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