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Judge sentences Western Iowa man to 15 years in porn case

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July 5th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — A federal judge has sentenced an Iowa man to serve 15 years in prison for production of child pornography.

U.S. District Judge Alan B. Johnson on Tuesday sentenced 30-year-old Gabriel Simmons of Onawa, Iowa. Simmons pleaded guilty in April in exchange for prosecutors dropping three other related charges against him.

Simmons posed as an employee of a modeling agency and persuaded a Wyoming teenager to send him sexually explicit images of herself over the Internet.

Prosecutors say Simmons had threatened to send photos to the girl’s family and school if she didn’t continue to send him more. The then 14-year-old girl contacted law enforcement last July.

Simmons apologized in court, saying he was sorry for the pain, confusion and embarrassment he caused the girl.