Frmr. HHS cyber security head sentenced to 25 years in child porn ring

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The former head of cyber security for the United States Department of Health and Human Services is going to prison for 25 years in an online child porn ring linked to a suburban Chicago native.

In 2012 when the FBI discovered a secret child pornography network in Nebraska, they could not have imagined where it would lead. Federal authorities found the anonymous network called "Tor" that was on the so-called dark net that could only be accessed by navigating through layers of security.

That investigation has resulted in prison for the man who was once a top federal lawman.

Timothy DeFoggi was in charge of cyber security for HHS, the federal agency responsible for protecting the health of all U.S. citizens.

But when DeFoggi was supposed to be protecting Americans, a federal jury found that he was pre-occupied with something else.

DOCUMENT: Timothy DeFoggi sentencing memo
DOCUMENT: Jason Flanary indictment
DOCUMENT: Jason Flanary plea

He was part of a small group of men who were regulars on a nasty network that was accessible only via the dark side of the web, a secret place where wanna-be pedophiles converged.

In DeFoggi's sentencing memo, prosecutors said that he "repeatedly accessed child pornography, scenes depicting infant and toddler-aged children being raped by adults." Pages titled "boys hardcore, kids with dogs and other animals," "toddler girls forced," "0-2 year little girls private sharing group."

He also "discussed his desires to commit violent rape and murder of children, and sought to meet at least one fellow member to share in and facilitate that desire."

Monday, DeFoggi was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison.

Prosecutors already put another member of the porn rig behind bars, 42-year-old Jason Flanary, who is from suburban Streator. Flanary is doing 20 years.

Flanary pleaded guilty in the case after being arrested in Guam. Flanary's attorney told the ABC7 Eyewitness News I-Team that he had a wife and child in the South Pacific who were left behind when the arrest took place.