DOJ: Texas Couple Sentenced to a Combined 140 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Produce Child Pornography and Other Crimes Against Children

Where did they get those children?

A husband and wife from Big Spring, Texas, were sentenced today to a combined 140 years in prison for crimes against multiple children. 

Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S Attorney Erin Nealy Cox of the Northern District of Texas and Special Agent in Charge Ryan L. Spradlin of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) made the announcement.

Christopher James Regan, 38, a former shipping logistics manager, was sentenced to 90 years in prison after pleading guilty in October 2019 to conspiracy to produce child pornography and two counts of producing child pornography.  Tanya Marie Regan, 35, was sentenced to 50 years in prison after her October 2019 guilty plea to conspiracy to produce child pornography and possession of prepubescent child pornography.  The sentences, which were imposed by U.S. District Judge Mark T. Pittman of the Northern District of Texas, also included lifetime terms of supervised release for both defendants.

According to court documents, Christopher and Tanya Regan sexually abused and produced child pornography of multiple children, and they possessed and distributed child pornography to one another as well.  The Regans also engaged in graphic discussions about the sexual abuse of children over several online platforms. 

In plea papers, the pair admitted that at Christopher Regan’s direction, Tanya Regan repeatedly videotaped herself sexually abusing children for Christopher Regan’s sexual gratification.

When law enforcement seized electronics from the home, several graphic videos had been deleted, but were still stored in the recycle bin or on unallotted space on various SD cards. Undeleted videos were stored in a computer folder titled “users\tanya_000\pictures\privatevids\minor.”

HSI’s San Angelo, Texas, office, the Howard County Sheriff’s Office and the High Technology Investigative Unit within the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) investigated the case.  Substantial assistance was provide by the HSI offices in Lubbock and Tyler, Texas, Tom Green County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety, and the National Center for Mission and Exploited Children.  Trial Attorney Kyle P. Reynolds of CEOS and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ann Howey and Jeffrey R. Haag prosecuted the case along with former Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell H. Lorfing.

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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice.  Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.  

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