TAMPA, Florida — Neil Thomas, a 23-year-old from Wesley Chapel, has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for receiving and possessing child sexual abuse images. The sentence, handed down by U.S. District Judge William F. Jung, also includes 15 years of supervised release.
Thomas was ordered to forfeit a cellphone used in the crime, pay $24,000 in restitution to the victims, and register as a sexual offender, according to court documents. He pled guilty on November 5, 2024. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) executed a search warrant at Thomas’ home in September 2023, discovering over 1,000 images and videos of child sexual abuse on his cellphone. In August 2023, Thomas received numerous videos depicting children being sexually abused…