Sexual Abuse Of Children Results In Prison Sentence For Holiday Man

HOLIDAY, FL — A 40-year-old Holiday man has been sentenced to 30 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release after being convicted of sexually exploiting young children.

U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday sentenced Thomas VanGelder for attempted enticement of a minor and possessing child sex abuse material. The court also ordered VanGelder to forfeit the electronic devices used in the crimes. Restitution for the victims will be determined at a later date.

VanGelder pleaded guilty on May 31.

According to court documents, VanGelder had been communicating online with a man who lives in New Port Richey. During those conversations, the New Port Richey man sent VanGelder child sex abuse material that he had produced of a child who had been in his custody.

The FBI arrested the New Port Richey man, assumed his online identity, and began communicating with VanGelder undercover.

According to court records, between May 5 and May 27, 2021, VanGelder communicated with the undercover agent, sending six images of child sex abuse material and discussing a desire to meet the undercover agent to have sex with the child shown in the New Port Richey man's sex abuse materials.

According to court records, VanGelder suggested that the undercover agent dose the child with sleeping pills hidden in ice cream so VanGelder could sexually abuse the child while the child was “passed out.”

VanGelder arranged to meet with the undercover agent on May 27, 2021, in Tampa and was arrested when he showed up.

Agents seized VanGelder’s cell phone and found text messages in which VanGelder attempted to talk his then-live-in girlfriend into destroying a green bag stashed under his bed.

The FBI obtained a search warrant for VanGelder’s home and found the green bag, which contained a number of electronic devices.

A forensic analysis of the external hard drive showed more than 4,000 child sex images, including sadomasochistic acts and bondage.

Agents said they also discovered VanGelder had been negotiating with an Orlando man to create and produce child sex materials of a 5-year-old girl and a 1-year-old boy that were in the care of the Orlando man.