Glen Allen man sentenced to 19 years for distribution of child sexual abuse material
A Glen Allen man was sentenced recently to 19 years and seven months in prison for distribution of child sexual abuse material.
According to court documents, law enforcement officers obtained the cellphone of 40-year-old Phillip Michael Taft Feb. 14, 2024 at his probation office, pursuant to a search warrant.
During a review of the phone, investigators identified photos and videos depicting CSAM. Investigators also searched Taft’s synchronous account in which they identified approximately 20 videos depicting CSAM.
The FBI reviewed text messages on Taft’s phone and identified an exchange from Feb. 12 to 14, 2024, in which Taft discussed various sexual and pornographic topics and exchanged several images and videos, including at least one depicting the sexual abuse of children.
Taft has several previous criminal convictions, most recently on May 6, 2025, of eight felony counts for the sexual abuse of animals and eight felony counts for permitting sexual contact with an animal to be conducted on premises under his ownership or control. Taft’s federal sentence will be served consecutively to his state sentence.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Theophani K. Stamos Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office Ian Kaufmann, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Janet Jin Ah Lee and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Carla Jordan-Detamore prosecuted the case.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.
Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute people who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.
For details about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
