Norwalk man gets federal prison term

A Norwalk man was recently sentenced to federal prison for possessing and distributing child pornography. On June 10, U.S. District Judge James G. Carr sentenced Brent Bennett, 55, of Norwalk, to 12 years in federal prison for "receipt and distribution of child sexual abuse materials (CSAM), also known as child pornography." Bennett previously pleaded guilty to the charges in January, according to a press release from the U.S. Department of Justice. Under the terms of his sentencing, Bennett is ordered to pay $126,500 in restitution and $35,000 to the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Assistance Act, which was established in 2018 to provide monetary assistance for victims of child sexual abuse, according to the release. Bennett will additionally be placed on a mandatory term of five years post-release control and will have to register as a sex offender. "According to court documents, from Jan. 19 to March 13, 2023, Bennett used peer-to-peer file sharing programs to download and distribute sexually explicit photos and videos of children, including prepubescent females as well as sadistic depictions," the release states. Federal authorities seized 6,845 images and 1,282 videos classified as child pornography, according to the release. To report child exploitation, people can visit cybertipline.org, or call 1-800-843-5678, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, the release states.