An 80-year-old man from Richardson was sentenced to 60 years in federal prison for sexually abusing a seven-year-old and possessing child sexual abuse material.
The suspect was identified as George Kenneth Orton Jr. of Richardson, who was convicted of two counts of sexual exploitation of a child by a jury in October 2024. Based on court documents, agents were able to recover a USB drive and two laptops at the man's home that had child sexual abuse material inside.
Sentenced to 60 Years in Prison
Orton appeared before District Judge Brantley Starr on May 14, 2025, for sentencing where the latter sentenced the defendant to consecutive maximum sentences of 360 months on each count. This totals 720 months of being confined in federal prison.
The judge in the case described the defendant's conduct against Minor Victim 1 as "unspeakable." When handing down his sentence, Judge Starr said he found no reason to give Orton less than the statutory maximum on each count against him, regardless of his age, according to Fox4 News.
FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock said the agency was proud to collaborate with their law enforcement partners to bring justice against criminals targeting children.
Read more: New Jersey Middle School Teacher Arrested Over Possession, Distribution of Child Pornography
He added that the significant sentence given to the defendant was a clear message that crimes against children are not things to be tolerated. Rothrock said continued vigilance and cooperation are keys to preventing abuse and protecting the most vulnerable individuals.
On the other hand, the U.S. attorney's office said that Orton's case was part of Project Safe Childhood. This is a national initiative that the Department of Justice launched in 2006 to fight the increasing number of child sexual exploitation and abuse cases, MSN reported.
Addressing Child Exploitation
The initiative, led by U.S. attorney's officers and the criminal division's child exploitation and obscenity section, marshals federal, state, and local resources. They locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identify and rescue victims.
Acting U.S. Attorney Meacham applauded the collective efforts of the FBI's Dallas Field Office and the Richardson Police Department for their investigative work. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marissa Aulbaugh and Brandie Wade.
Orton's conviction is something that highlights a broader issue, which is something that the Department of Justice is working to address head-on, as per Hoodline. Project Safe Childhood has five essential components: building partnerships, coordinating law enforcement, training PSC partners, public awareness, and accountability.
