Clearwater Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Child Sexual Abuse Material Crimes

A Clearwater man has been dealt a 10-year prison sentence for his crimes involving minors and child sexual abuse material. Caleb Belanger, 25, of Clearwater, received this sentence following his March 26, 2024 guilty plea, according to an announcement by U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber. In addition to his decade-long jail term, Belanger will also undergo a lifetime of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution.

Belanger’s criminal activities were brought to light after he pressured around 30 minor females, aged between 13 and 17, to take and send him sexually explicit photos and videos through a mobile application. In a disturbing exchange, these images were traded for money, vapes, and alcohol. He also propositioned the minors, offering money for sexual intercourse and other acts. A search in Belanger’s home led to the seizure of his iPhone and iPad, devices that were integral to his offenses, and subsequently mandated for forfeiture by the court.

Detailed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, forensics analysis revealed a shocking trove of child sexual abuse material on Belanger’s devices. Specifically, investigators found 1,209 images and 111 videos. The investigation was a collective effort involving Homeland Security Investigations and law enforcement partners from Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, the Tarpon Springs and St. Petersburg Police Departments, as well as the Tampa Police Department.

This prosecution falls under the umbrella of Project Safe Childhood, a DOJ initiative begun in 2006 aimed squarely at curbing the tide of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Assistant United States Attorneys Ilyssa M. Spergel and Ross Roberts led the prosecution that has now put Belanger behind bars for the next decade, an outcome that reinforces the message that such predatory behavior will meet the full force of the law. For more information on the efforts being made to protect children, the public can visit the Project Safe Childhood website.