A prominent San Antonio photographer was sent to prison for 16 years by a federal judge today for taking the wrong kind of photographs, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
Christopher Reilly was hired by many San Antonio school districts to take photos of dance teams and cheerleaders. But Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Thompson says he was hiding a dark secret.
"During some of those photo shoots the children and the adults didn't know just what he was filming," Thompson said.
U.S. District Judge David Ezra sentenced Reilly after he heard details about his involvement in child porn.
Thompson called him a 'predator.'
"To use your profession to take images that give you sexual gratification," she said. "That is being a sexual predator."
Prosecutors said Reilly was busted when his computer hard drive crashed and he shipped it to the repair shot. The techs found the pictures and notified federal authorities.
Reilley gave a simple statement to the judge.
"I am disgusted by my actions," he said. "I violated people's trust."
Reilly talked about how his home has been foreclosed on and his property has been seized because his career is ruined.