The former Fort Carson soldier who pleaded guilty to one count of child pornography production was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announced on Tuesday.

John Paul Barsch III, 31, was arrested in January 2024, court records show, and initially faced multiple federal felonies, including both possession and production of child pornography.

Barsch was stationed at Fort Carson at the time of his arrest.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Barsch admitted that he “performed sex acts on an infant or toddler in his custody, care, or control; created videos depicting those sex acts; and distributed at least one of the videos to another person who was in the United Kingdom” on multiple occasions between November 2018 and March 2020, according to his plea agreement.

Barsch’s crimes were reportedly uncovered when law enforcement arrested the person who received the videos, and a search of his devices revealed conversations with Barsch, according to the Tuesday news release. Homeland Security Investigations handled the case.

“The sentencing of this individual sends a clear and unyielding message: no position of authority or service will shield predators from the full force of justice,” said HSI Denver Special Agent in Charge Steve Cagen. “Let this serve as a stark warning — there is no place in our society for such heinous acts, and we will stop at nothing to protect our children and uphold the rule of law.”

In addition to 30 years behind bars, Barsch was also sentenced to a lifetime of supervised release.

“Crimes against children are some of the most despicable in our society and this sentence demonstrates the magnitude of the crimes committed,” stated U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado Peter McNeilly.