BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – A federal judge has sentenced a 35-year-old Birmingham man to 55 years in prison for producing child sexual abuse material, U.S. Attorney Phillip W. Williams Jr. announced.
Chief U.S. District Judge Madeline H. Haikala sentenced Robert Lee Ford Jr. to 660 months. Ford pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual exploitation after jury selection began in his trial.
How the case began
According to the plea agreement, a Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office deputy went to Children’s of Alabama hospital on January 24, 2025, after a report of an assault on a child. The child’s mother told the deputy that Ford had assaulted her 14-year-old daughter.
Deputies, with help from the FBI, served a state search warrant on Ford’s apartment and arrested him on state charges. The FBI kept investigating and served federal search warrants on his online accounts.
Agents found videos of child sexual abuse material that Ford made using the minor victim on multiple dates in December 2024 and January 2025, according to the plea agreement.
Prosecutors and FBI respond
“Child exploitation is a horrific crime. Fifty-five years in federal prison means that this defendant will spend the rest of his life behind bars, unable to victimize another child,” Williams said. “We will use every tool in our toolbox and work alongside our law enforcement partners to find those who exploit children. If you engage in these crimes, we will find you, and we will hold you accountable. There is no place to hide.”
David R. Fitzgibbons, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Birmingham Field Office, also commented on the sentence.
“The horrific abuse suffered by this child underscores the FBI’s unwavering commitment to protecting our most vulnerable victims and holding offenders fully accountable,” Fitzgibbons said. “Robert Lee Ford Jr.’s lengthy prison sentence reflects the seriousness of his crimes and sends a clear message that those who sexually exploit children, Justice Will Find You. The FBI remains committed to working alongside our law enforcement partners to identify offenders, safeguard children, and support survivors throughout the investigative process.”
How to report suspected abuse
Anyone who suspects a child is being sexually abused or exploited should contact law enforcement. People can reach the FBI Birmingham Office at 205-326-6166. Reports also go to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children online at www.cybertipline.org.
The FBI Birmingham Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force investigated the case with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys R. Leann White and J. Patrick Lamb are prosecuting it.
In a separate case, a Walker County man received 50 years for child exploitation crimes.