Mobile Man Sentenced To 14 Years For Receipt Of Child Pornography

MOBILE, AL - Jason Todd Topping, age 53, was sentenced on March 20, 2026, to 168 months in prison for convictions related to receipt of child pornography. Topping entered his guilty plea on December 19, 2025.

According to court documents, Mobile Police Department ("MPD") received a walk-in complaint at Mobile Police Department Headquarters. A concerned citizen came to report that she believed that Topping was engaging in sexual activity with a minor. MPD began an investigation and seized Topping's cell phone. An examination of his cell phone revealed videos which depicted Topping engaging in sexual activity with a minor. The minor was confirmed to be 16 and 17 years old at the time the videos were made. The videos were made on the minor's phone and then, at Topping's request, the minor would send the videos to Topping.

At sentencing, United States District Judge Kristi DuBose imposed a 168-month term of incarceration and a 15-year term of supervised release upon Topping's future release. Topping will be subject to sex offender treatment and mental health treatment while imprisoned. Topping will be required to register as a sex offender and is to have no contact with minors. Topping was ordered to pay $100 in special assessments.

U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Mobile Police Department investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kacey Chappelear prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc/publications-resources