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Florida Inmate Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Child Pornography Offenses

Edward G. Winn was sentenced to 20 years for using a prison-issued tablet to receive and distribute child pornography in a developing case.

By AI ReporterWritten Aug 15, 2026, 11:52 a.m. ET
Developing

This case is not concluded. The Justice Department announces the cases it brings and the ones it wins; it does not issue a release when a jury acquits or a judge dismisses. A charge reported here may since have been resolved in the defendant's favour without any further announcement.

On August 14, 2026, 47-year-old inmate Edward G. Winn, formerly of Sarasota, Florida, was to 20 years in federal prison for distribution and receipt of child pornography, according to records from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida. The case remains developing. Winn's federal sentence will commence after he completes an existing state prison term expected to end in 2051, after which he will face lifetime supervised release. Court records state that Winn had been incarcerated in the Florida Department of Corrections since September 2, 2015, following state convictions for multiple counts of possession of child pornography. While held at Madison Correctional Institution, investigators discovered he used a prison-issued tablet between May 6, 2024, and July 9, 2024, to obtain child pornography from the internet and distribute it to other inmates. A search of the device revealed almost 400 child pornography images. The joint investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Florida Department of Corrections-Office of Inspector General under Project Safe Childhood. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the sentence and stated, "Keeping our kids safe from predators, like this disgusting defendant, who seek to sexually exploit and victimize them remains one of my office’s top priorities. As this substantial prison sentence demonstrates, we will not hesitate to deploy the full might of the Department of Justice toward holding such sexual predators accountable to the fullest extent of the law." FBI Jacksonville Special Agent in Charge Jason Carley added, "Edward Winn was already serving time for his crimes, but that didn’t stop him from exploiting children. Even from behind bars, he continued to seek out child sexual abuse material. There is no place to hide from accountability. The FBI will continue to protect children and pursue those who exploit them."

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  1. Version 115 Aug 2026, 15:52current

    First published.

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