Church helper gets 22-year sentence for filming underage boys using restroom

PERRY, Fla. (WCJB/Gray News) - A deacon of a church in Florida has been sentenced to 22 years in prison.

WCJB reports that 31-year-old Jonathan High was sent to jail on Tuesday after being found guilty of producing child pornography.

High was found guilty at a bench trial in October 2022. Law enforcement said they received a cyber tip in August 2021 regarding child pornography being uploaded to a cloud server connected to High’s account.

Investigators used a warrant to search High’s electronic devices. The team said they found multiple child pornography images and videos that depicted young boys engaging in sex acts or exposing their genitals.

“Child predators seek to prey upon our children in any setting imaginable – in this instance from inside a house of worship,” said U.S. Attorney Coody.

Authorities said they determined High produced some of the videos himself. On two separate occasions, he reportedly recorded two young boys using a restroom at a church in the Perry area where he served as a deacon.

Once High has served his 22-year prison sentence, he will be required to register as a sex offender.

“We must remain vigilant,” Coody said. “This sentence is yet another example of the unwavering commitment to the protection of our most vulnerable.”

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