DAPHNE — Stephen Richey, a 69-year-old Daphne resident, has been sentenced to 17.5 years in prison for the production of child pornography. Richey pleaded guilty to the offense Jan. 12.

According to court documents filed in connection with his guilty plea, the victim found pictures of herself on Richey’s cellphone in April 2022 and subsequently contacted law enforcement, leading to an investigation. The investigation revealed that Richey had taken numerous photographs of the victim, which were deemed child pornography based on their content and the age of the child depicted. He admitted to taking the images of the child during the investigation.

In addition to the prison sentence, United States District Judge Terry F. Moorer ordered Richey to pay $7,000 in restitution to the victim, $5,100 in special assessments and $40,000 in fines. Richey will also be required to register as a sex offender when he is released from prison and is prohibited from having any contact with minors.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Daphne Police Department, with prosecution by Assistant United States Attorneys Kacey Chappelear, Beth Stepan and Tandice Blackwood. The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse.