Former Pasco Assistant Principal Could Spend 80 Years In Prison

LAND O' LAKES, FL -- A former Pasco County assistant principal has pleaded guilty to producing. distributing and possessing child pornography.

United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announced that Kyle Dale Ritsema, 36, of Land O’ Lakes, faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 15, years, and up to 30 years in federal prison for producing child pornography; a minimum mandatory term of five years, and up to 20 years, for each of the two child pornography distribution charges; and a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment for the possession charge. In total, Ritsema faces up to 80 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to court documents, starting as early as November 2014 until his arrest in February 2018, Ritsema enticed a 14-year-old child on the Internet application “Grindr.” Ritsema knew that the boy was a minor during the time when they were in contact. He met the child in person and had sex with him on at least five occasions over the course of a year.

On one such occasion, Ritsema had sex with the child and used his smartphone to take several explicit photos of the child. That same day, Ritsema shared graphic details of that encounter and transmitted the explicit photos to multiple other people.

Beginning in March 2017, and continuing until his arrest, Ritsema had been an assistant principal at Cypress Creek Middle High School in Pasco County. Before holding that position, Ritsema was the assistant principal at Pine View Middle School (appointed in July 2015), an assistant principal administrative intern at River Ridge Middle School (appointed in January 2015) and a math teacher and math coach at Paul R. Smith Middle School, Gulf Highland Elementary School and Seven Springs Middle School (beginning in 2006).

This investigation has revealed that there may be multiple child victims as well as a public health concern. Any person who had unprotected sexual contact with Ritsema, or any person who was, or knows of someone who may have been a possible child victim is urged to contact Homeland Security Investigations at 1-866-DHS-2ICE or click here.

This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Murray.

See related story:

Pasco Assistant Principal Arrested On Child Pornography Charges

Image via Hillsborough Sheriff

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