Deonte Carraway Is Sentenced In Massive Child Porn Conviction

GREENBELT, Md. (AP/WMAL) – A former elementary school volunteer in the Maryland suburbs of Washington who pleaded guilty to 15 federal child pornography offenses was sentenced to 75 years in federal prison Monday.

23-year-old Deonte Carraway of Glenarden pleaded guilty in January to 15 counts of counts of sexual exploitation of a minor to produce child pornography.

In court, Carraway claimed he was ashamed of his actions, and said he’s not the monster that people are making him out to be.

Authorities say Carraway abused or recorded children performing sexual acts at Judge Sylvania W. Woods Elementary School or at the Glenarden Community Center, where he directed a youth choir. According to indictments, Carraway also recorded children performing sexual acts inside their homes.

“There’s just no way, Mr. Carraway, to restate the magnitude and the enormity of the harm you caused,” U.S. District Court Judge Deborah K. Chasanow said in court. “You knew it was wrong in some sense and yet you persisted.”

Carraway also faces state charges.

The Associated Press contributed content to this report.