After a one-day trial, a jury has found Kyle Travis Colton, 37, from Citrus Heights, guilty of receiving child pornography. The announcement was made by Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez.
Evidence presented during the trial and in court documents revealed that law enforcement recovered Colton’s laptop during a search of his home. The device contained numerous images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of young children. Between July 2022 and December 2023, Colton downloaded these materials, which were saved on his computer desktop and downloads folder. He also had user-created bookmarks linking to known child pornography websites.
The case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Whitnee Goins and Shea J. Kenny are handling the prosecution.
Colton is scheduled for sentencing by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd on October 27, 2025. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison with a mandatory minimum sentence of five years, along with a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence will be determined based on statutory factors and Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood aims to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who exploit children while identifying and rescuing victims.
