ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) - An Albany man has pleaded guilty to distributing child pornography.

The man was identified as Andrew Brent Darbyshire, 45, from Albany. On Sept. 10, he pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of child pornography, also known as child sexual abuse material, according to a release by the U.S. Attorney’s Office Middle District of Georgia.

He is facing a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison to be followed by a minimum of five years up to a lifetime of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Additionally, he will also have to register as a sex offender upon release from prison.

His sentencing date is set for Jan. 8, 2026.

“This case highlights the relentless dedication of Homeland Security Investigations to protecting children from those who exploit their innocence. The actions of this individual are a betrayal of trust and a grave violation of the safety and well-being of our communities.

HSI, alongside our law enforcement partners, will continue to pursue predators who engage in these horrific crimes and ensure they are held accountable. Let this serve as a stark reminder: no matter where you hide or how you operate, HSI will find you, and justice will prevail."

Court documents and statements referenced in court show that federal investigators with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Tacoma, Washington, discovered an online account controlled by a suspect in a separate child exploitation case in February 2024.

The website contained sub-channels based on categories of CSAM, the release said.

By May 2024, the website had about 658 members and about 5,700 files of CSAM being actively shared throughout the channel and sub-channels.

One of the active members operated under the username “@teen_lover21″. The user was tracked down by the IP address, internet provider and phone number for the username, which was determined to be Darbyshire.

In November 2024, HSI Tacoma reached out to HSI Atlanta’s Child Exploitation and Cyber Investigations Group (CECIG) about him. It was discovered that Darbyshire worked at Albany State University (ASU) in maintenance and was involved in local organizations, including volunteering at a local high school and the Boy Scouts.

“It is deeply disturbing whenever adults who work or volunteer with young people are found to be possessing or distributing child sexual abuse material.

We are dedicated to seeking justice for victims of child exploitation and holding predators accountable for their crimes."

According to the release, on Nov. 25, 2024, law enforcement executed a federal search warrant at his residence and seized two cell phones. One phone had 112 images and 195 videos of prepubescent girls between the ages of 3 and 10 years old engaging in sexually explicit conduct with adult men.

The other phone had various social media links, including the website investigated by HSI. The release said that it also had about 945 images and 22 videos of prepubescent girls between the ages of 3 and 10 years old engaging in sexually explicit conduct with adult men.

Darbyshire reportedly received and shared CSAM on the website and distributed a digital media file that showed prepubescent girls engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

The release said that this case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a national initiative launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

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