Springfield Man Sentenced to 17 Years in Prison for Distribution and Possession of Child Pornography

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - A Springfield, Illinois, man, Peyton C. Dagenais, 29, was sentenced on June 11, 2026, to 204 months in prison, to be followed by a 15-year term of supervised release, for distribution and possession of child pornography. Restitution was ordered for each of the victims in the case.

At the sentencing hearing, the government established that Dagenais had a long history of child pornography possession and distribution and that his behavior had escalated to possessing physical items related to his sexual interest in children and expressed a desire to rape a child.

Also at the hearing, U.S. District Judge Colleen R. Lawless described the number of images possessed by Dagenais as rather extraordinary and said that the images were egregious. Judge Lawless also noted the defendant's escalation in conduct and emphasized the need to protect the public from further acts of the defendant in crafting her sentence.

In February 2026, Dagenais pleaded guilty to distribution of child pornography and possession of child pornography. Dagenais remains in the custody of the United States Marshals Service where he has been since his arrest in September 2025.

The statutory penalties for distribution of child pornography are not less than five years and up to 20 years' imprisonment, up to a life term of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and restitution. The statutory penalties for possession of child pornography are not more than 10 years' imprisonment, five years to a life term of supervised release, and up to a $250,000 fine.

"Any individual who shares, receives, and possesses child sexual abuse material contributes to the irreparable harm suffered by these victims," said U.S. Attorney Gregory M. Gilmore. "This behavior poses a risk to all children as these predators constantly seek new images and that desire creates a greater risk of potential hands-on offenses."

"This case highlights the reality of how digital exploitation can escalate into an imminent physical threat to children," said FBI Springfield Field Office Special Agent in Charge Ryan Presley. "By intercepting this defendant before his expressed desires turned into physical violence, we successfully protected the community from a dangerous predator. This lengthy sentence ensures that the defendant can no longer exploit children or threaten their safety. The FBI and our partners will remain relentless in pursuing these predators and ensuring they face justice."

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, investigated the case with assistance from the Lewiston, Maine Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanner K. Jacobs represented the government in the prosecution.

The case against Dagenais was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.projectsafechildhood.govLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link..