A Texas City man was sentenced to federal prison for distributing and possessing child pornography.

U.S. District Judge Jeffrey V. Brown sentenced Anthony Joseph Kiamar, 34, to serve 15 years and 10 years for the distribution and possession convictions, respectively, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas Alamdar S. Hamdani announced in a news release Tuesday. The sentences will run concurrently for a total 15-year term of imprisonment.

Kiamar pleaded guilty Nov. 20, 2023, the news release said.

During the sentencing hearing, the judge heard excerpts of a victim impact statement detailing the ongoing harm the child pornography images and videos caused.

The judge noted during sentencing the seriousness of the crime and Kiamar’s history and characteristics. Kiamar also was ordered to pay $5,000 in restitution to a known victim and will serve 10 years on supervised release after completing his prison sentence.

He also must comply with requirements restricting his access to children and the internet. Kiamar also will have to register as a sex offender.

The investigation began after authorities learned Kiamar was distributing child pornography in 2019 using Facebook Messenger, the news release said. Before seizing his electronic devices, law enforcement found he had engaged in an indecent assault against a minor. He was convicted of those crimes, the release said.

During the federal investigation, a forensic examination of his devices uncovered 27 images and 44 videos of child pornography, the news release said. Several of the victims who were identified were as young as 3 years old.

Kiamar will stay in custody until he is transferred to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility, which will be determined later.

Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with help from the Houston Metro Police Department Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Lu prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative started by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to fight child sexual exploitation and abuse.