Brevard County man gets 10 years in federal prison for possession of child abuse material

BREVARD COUNTY, Florida. – U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced Richard W. Mills, 50, of Brevard County, to 10 years in federal prison and lifetime supervision for possession of child sexual abuse images.

The court also ordered the forfeiture of Mills’ computer and hard drive, which were used to commit the crime, and ordered restitution payments totaling $12,000. Mills pleaded guilty to the charges on April 16, 2024.

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Court records show that Mills was previously convicted in U.S. District Court in Orlando on Nov. 20, 2014, of possession of child pornography. He was sentenced to six years and six months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Mills completed his prison sentence on Nov. 13, 2019, when his supervised release began.

On November 2, 2023, U.S. Probation officers conducted an unannounced inspection of Mills’ workplace in response to a citizen complaint. The inspection was to ensure compliance with a condition of Mills’ supervised release that prohibited him from using a computer or internet-enabled device without permission. The investigation led to a search of Mills’ home, where officers found a smartphone and a computer. A federal search warrant revealed that Mills’ computer contained approximately 330 images and one video depicting the sexual abuse of infants and young children.

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In addition to the 10-year sentence, Mills was also sentenced to six months in federal prison for violating the terms of his parole, which he was to serve immediately following the 10-year sentence.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Ilianys Rivera Miranda.

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