Brendan Sullivan, a 29-year-old resident of Burlington, Vermont, was sentenced on March 27 to fifteen years in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release for child exploitation offenses. United States District Judge Mary Kay Lanthier also ordered Sullivan to pay $20,000 in restitution to the victims.
The sentencing comes after Sullivan pleaded guilty to using interstate facilities to attempt to entice a minor and possessing child sexual abuse materials. The case highlights ongoing efforts by law enforcement agencies and the Department of Justice to address online child exploitation.
According to court records, Sullivan had previously been convicted for possession of child sexual abuse materials and received a time-served sentence in 2020. After multiple violations of post-release supervision and additional imprisonment, he was released from federal custody on December 3, 2024. Just days later, on December 12, he uploaded illegal materials online. This act triggered an alert routed through the Vermont Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Investigators executed a search warrant at his residence in June 2025 and found more than 2,600 images and over one hundred videos depicting child sexual abuse on his laptop. They also uncovered messages between Sullivan and someone posing as a minor.
First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt said: “State and local law enforcement are crucial partners in our efforts to protect children. I am extremely grateful for their assistance in this case.”
The prosecution was led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Corinne M. Smith and First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt; Brooks McArthur represented Sullivan.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 that brings together federal, state, and local resources against online exploitation crimes involving children.
