DULUTH, Minn. - An Eagan man has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for producing child pornography.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Minnesota, 31-year-old Ellis Scott Tooles pleaded guilty on May 12, 2017 to one count of production of child pornography.
Tooles engaged in sexually explicit conduct with a 2-year-old child and filmed and distributed video and images of the encounter, according to documents filed in court and according to his guilty plea.
The U.S. Attorney's Office says that Tooles was arrested for distributing drugs in Duluth in 2016. He asked friends and family to retrieve his cell phone, and when they did, they found the video. They handed the phone over to law enforcement, according to court documents.
Tooles also produced sexually explicit images and videos of a 17-year-old victim, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
“The defendant admitted to attacking and perversely taking advantage of the most vulnerable and innocent member of society,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Jill Sanborn. “Today’s sentence ensures that those victims will have the opportunity to grow up in a world where the defendant will not have the opportunity to harm anyone.”
The FBI led the investigation, with help from police departments in Eagan, Apple Valley, Burnsville and Duluth, and the St. Louis County and Dakota County Attorney's Offices. Tooles' sentence includes 15 years of supervised release and $5,000 in restitution.
