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Venice man found guilty of traveling to Philippines to have sex with children, recording abuse

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A Venice man could spend the rest of his life in federal prison after a jury convicted him of producing child porn and traveling overseas to have sex with children.

A federal jury has found David Paul Lynch, 57, guilty of eight counts of producing and attempting to produce child pornography, two counts of traveling with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, one count of receiving child pornography, and one count of possessing child pornography, according to a news release from the Department of Justice.

Lynch traveled to the Philippines regularly between 2005 and 2016 to have sex with children, according to testimony and evidence presented at trial. During those trips, he would make recordings of the abuse.

Before his trips, Lynch communicated online with individuals in the Philippines in order to locate children to sexually exploit.

Lynch reportedly produced child pornography of at least three Filipino children on these visits. He also solicited child pornography through email.

He was arrested in San Francisco attempting to board a flight to the Philippines in December 2016.

During a simultaneous search of his home in Venice, Florida, FBI agents located dozens of self-produced images and videos of child pornography from his trips.

Lynch faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years, up to 30 years, in federal prison for each production count, up to 30 years’ imprisonment for each travel count, a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years, up to 20 years, for receiving child pornography, and up to 10 years in prison for possessing child pornography.

His sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 11, 2018.

Click here to view the full press release.

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