Child Autism Center Worker Gets Prison Time For Child Porn Crimes

Philadelphia PA

28 January, 2022

9:49 AM

Description

PHILADELPHIA — A Philadelphia woman who worked at a child autism services center has been sentenced to federal prison on child pornography charges. Tayanna Bowman, 25, of Philadelphia, was handed a 9-year-and-2-month prison sentence, as well as 20 years of supervised released and a $3,000 fine, for distributing child pornography to an undercover federal agent on an online file sharing platform. In March 2021, Bowman pleaded guilty to distribution and attempted distribution of child pornography. In January 2020, while employed as a behavioral health technician at ChanceLight Autism Services [a regional childcare service provider] specializing in behavioral health support for children with autism, Bowman distributed videos and images of child pornography on the Internet using Kik Messenger. Prior to that job, Bowman worked at Cynthia's Little Treasures Daycare in West Philadelphia as a teaching assistant. "This defendant chose a line of work providing care to vulnerable, autistic children, and at the same time, she participated in the sexual abuse and exploitation of children by engaging with an online community interested in such abhorrent acts," United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams said. "It is our duty to protect the most vulnerable members of society and we will continue to uphold that duty by bringing to justice anybody who preys upon minor children."