Midvale man who filmed 6-year-old in sexual acts ordered to prison

A Midvale man who forced a 6-year-old girl into making pornography witnessed a father's grief Thursday in U.S. District Court before receiving a 25-year prison sentence from a federal judge.

Joseph Anthony Todd, 26, pleaded guilty in June to felony production and possession of child pornography in connection with forcing his live-in girlfriend's daughter into sexual acts. He filmed the encounters.

U.S. District Judge Ted Stewart on Thursday ordered Todd to serve 25 years in prison, following a recommendation from prosecutors who agreed to the term in exchange for Todd's guilty plea.

Before the sentencing, the father of Todd's victim told the judge that the man's actions have forever altered the child's family. In addition to his daughter, Todd emotionally abused his son, the father said.

The children haven't seen their mother since the father gained full custody following Todd's arrest.

"My family has been very hurt by this. I am asking the court to please consider the max [penalty]," the father said.

The Salt Lake Tribune does not identify victims of sexual abuse and is not publishing the name of the victim or her father in this story.

Todd was charged separately in West Jordan's 3rd District Court with three counts of aggravated sex abuse of a child. He pleaded guilty in August 2010 to one count of first-degree felony aggravated sex abuse of a child. Judge Dennis Fuchs ordered Todd in November 2010 to serve 15 years to life in the Utah State Prison.

The girl's sexual abuse was uncovered when a neighbor of Todd's was watching Todd's apartment on April 4, 2010, when the man was out-of-town.

The neighbor logged on to Todd's computer and discovered two videos of Todd with the 6-year-old.

Todd's federal sentence will be served concurrently to his state case.

The case was brought forward in federal court because it involved interstate commerce, an issue that is charged federally. The video camera Todd used to film his victim was manufactured out of state and transported to Utah. The federal charges also addressed the act of producing the pornography.

Todd did not speak in court on Thursday.

Stewart, who called Todd's behavior "detestable," said he was concerned after reviewing Todd's psychosexual evaluation.

The exam showed Todd is at a high risk to re-offend and doesn't concede that he harmed his victim.

Stewart also ordered Todd to register as a sex offender and barred him from attempting to contact the victims in the case via letter from prison.

mrogers@sltrib.com

Twitter: @mrogers_trib