U.S. Attorney’s Office – Northern District of Texas
May 29, 2025
DALLAS, TX — George Kenneth Orton, Jr., an 80-year-old man from Richardson, Texas, has been sentenced to 60 years in federal prison for the sexual exploitation of a child, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Chad E. Meacham for the Northern District of Texas.
A federal jury convicted Orton in October 2024 on two counts of sexual exploitation of a child. Evidence presented at trial revealed that Orton had sexually abused a seven-year-old minor and possessed child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Investigators discovered a USB drive and two laptops containing CSAM at his residence during the investigation.
On May 14, 2025, Orton appeared before U.S. District Judge Brantley Starr, who imposed two consecutive maximum sentences of 30 years each, totaling 720 months (60 years) in federal prison. Judge Starr described Orton’s actions against the child victim as “unspeakable” and stated there was no justification for issuing less than the statutory maximum for each count, despite Orton’s advanced age.
“The FBI is proud to collaborate with our law enforcement partners every single day to ensure anyone involved in criminal behavior against a child is brought to justice,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “The significant sentence given to the defendant sends a clear message that crimes against children will not be tolerated.”
The investigation was led by the FBI Dallas Field Office and the Richardson Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marissa Aulbaugh and Brandie Wade.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. The program coordinates efforts by federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute offenders and to rescue child victims.
For more information on Project Safe Childhood, visit: justice.gov/psc
For online safety resources and education, click the “resources” tab on the same website.
