SOUTHERN ILLINOIS — A 42-year-old Centralia man has been sentenced in federal court to ten years in prison for distributing and receiving child pornography over the internet.

Chief United States District Judge Michael J. Reagan handed down the sentence to William Keller.   It includes five years of supervised release and a $15,000 restitution award to the victims.

The case against Keller began in October 2017, when an online investigation discovered an IP address associated with Keller sharing child pornography over peer-to-peer software.

During the execution of a search warrant at Keller’s home, federal agents seized a computer, a cell phone, and multiple external hard drives.

An FBI forensic analysis of those devices uncovered over 1,400 images and 26 videos of child pornography. Some of the illicit files depicted the sexual abuse of children as young as toddlers.

On July 31, 2018, Keller pleaded guilty to a two-count felony information charging him with distributing and receiving identified child pornography files. He also agreed to forfeit his computer and an external hard drive that had been used in the commission of the crimes.

At sentencing, Keller admitted his criminal conduct but maintained that he had collected the child pornography in a ham-fisted attempt to frame a relative he believed had molested his sister when they were children.