Foley Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Child Pornography Offenses

United States Attorney Richard W. Moore of the Southern District of Alabama announced that Corey Steele, 33, of Foley, Alabama, was sentenced today in federal court on a charge of production of child pornography.  Steele pled guilty to the charge in June of 2019. 

According to court documents filed in connection with his guilty plea, Foley Police Department received a tip that Steele was in possession of images of child pornography.  During the course of their investigation, Foley Police were able to determine that Steele’s co-defendant, Krystal Sanspree, and Steele were involved in a romantic relationship.  During the course of their relationship, Steele requested that Sanspree take sexually explicit photos of a child.  Sanspree complied, and subsequently sent the images to Steele.  Some of the images depicted Sanspree engaged in sex acts with a child. When interviewed, Sanspree admitted to taking the photos.  Steele admitted to requesting the photos and stated that he directed Sanspree to do the specific things portrayed in the photos.  Both Steele and Sanspree were in possession of the images at the time of their arrest.

United States District Court Judge Callie V.S. Granade imposed a sentence of 360 months imprisonment.  The judge ordered that Steele undergo mental health treatment, sex offender treatment, and drug and alcohol treatment while incarcerated.  The judge also ordered Steele to serve a fifteen-year term of supervised release beginning upon his discharge from prison.  Upon his release from prison, Steele will be required to register as a sex offender.  Judge Granade ordered that Steele pay $10,100 in special assessments.  Krystal Sanspree was previously sentenced to twenty years in prison for her crimes.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals, federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood and for information about internet safety education, visit www.usdoj.gov/psc

The case was investigated by the Foley Police Department and the Department of Homeland Security.  It was prosecuted in the United States Attorney’s Office by Assistant United States Attorney Kacey Chappelear.