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Columbus woman sentenced to over 20 years for sexually abusing toddler
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A Columbus woman will serve over two decades in prison after pleading guilty to the sexual abuse of a toddler.
According to U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Ohio, 29-year-old Becky Gillespie pleaded guilty to the sexual exploitation of a minor and distribution of child pornography.
Court documents state that in December 2023, Gillespie sent Snapchat videos, or offered to send videos, to other users depicting her in sex acts and sexually explicit conduct with a 3-year-old girl.
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In early January, Homeland Security Investigations initiated an investigation due to information obtained from the Australian Federal Police, which alleged that Gillespie sent three photos and nine videos via Snapchat using the handle 'beckygilles2023.' Of the nine videos, three of them displayed Gillespie engaging in sex acts with the girl.
Gillespie was arrested on Jan. 12, and she entered a plea agreement on Dec. 16. On Tuesday, she was sentenced to 23 years in prison for sexual exploitation of children and 20 years in prison for the distribution of child pornography. Those sentences, however, are to run concurrently.
Additionally, Gillespie was sentenced to a lifetime of supervised release on both counts and is ordered to pay the victim $3,000 in restitution.
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