Brendan Sullivan, a 29-year-old resident of Burlington, Vermont, was sentenced on March 27 to fifteen years in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release for child exploitation offenses. United States District Judge Mary Kay Lanthier also ordered Sullivan to pay $20,000 in restitution to victims.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by law enforcement and the courts to address child sexual exploitation crimes and protect children from online abuse.
According to court records, Sullivan had previously been convicted in federal court for possession of child sexual abuse materials and received a time served sentence in 2020. He later violated terms of his post-release supervision multiple times, which led to the revocation of his supervised release and an additional nine months in prison. After being released from federal custody on December 3, 2024, Sullivan uploaded illegal materials just nine days later. This action triggered a CyberTip that led investigators with the Vermont Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and Homeland Security Investigations to execute a search warrant at his residence on June 24, 2025. Authorities seized Sullivan’s laptop containing over 2,600 unique images and more than one hundred videos depicting child sexual abuse.
A forensic review also uncovered messages between Sullivan and someone claiming to be a thirteen-year-old boy. In these exchanges, Sullivan described explicit fantasies and attempted to arrange an in-person meeting. Investigators determined that the recipient was actually a seventeen-year-old minor from California who was imitating social media “catch a predator” stings.
First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt said: “State and local law enforcement are crucial partners in our efforts to protect children. I am extremely grateful for their assistance in this case.” The prosecution team included Assistant U.S. Attorney Corinne M. Smith alongside Ophardt; Brooks McArthur represented Sullivan.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood—a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice aimed at combating child sexual exploitation through coordinated federal, state, and local resources.
