Federal prosecutors in Illinois say a Texas man has been sentenced to 35 years in prison on child pornography charges involving more than 40 girls in eight states, including 28 in central Illinois.
Prosecutors said Tuesday 36-year-old Mark P. Barnwell of Whitehouse, Texas, was sentenced on Jan. 9.
Authorities say he used false Facebook profiles to contact girls and advertise modeling opportunities. Prosecutors say Barnwell directed the girls to send him sexually explicit photos and threatened to post the nude photos online if they failed to send more.