Valdosta Man Receives 33-Year Sentence for Child Pornography and Assaulting Jail Officer
Laronce Howell, 46, of Valdosta, has been sentenced to the statutory maximum of 30 years in federal prison for producing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), plus an additional three years for assaulting a jail officer while in federal custody, for a total of 33 years.
U.S. District Judge W. Louis Sands imposed the sentence on March 26, 2025, which includes 360 months for the production of child pornography and 36 months for assault of a federal officer. Howell will also serve 15 years of supervised release and register as a sex offender upon release. He pleaded guilty to the production of child pornography on Oct. 5, 2023, and to assaulting a federal officer on Feb. 20, 2025. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Recidivist violent offenders like Laronce Howell, who was only on parole from state prison for one month when he filmed a minor being sexually abused, will see their cases in federal court,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “In the pursuit of justice, we will maximize the use of our federal resources against those producing child sexual abuse material.”
“This is an outstanding effort by our detectives, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and numerous community partners who dedicated countless hours to prepare this case for prosecution, resulting in a dangerous predator being removed from our community and held accountable for his actions,” stated Valdosta Police Chief Leslie Manahan.
Evidence presented in court showed that Howell used his cell phone to film a 13-year-old minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct with two adult men on Oct. 1, 2020, and sent the video to a family member. He was arrested by the Valdosta Police Department on approximately Oct. 14, 2020.
While in custody at the Tift County, Georgia, Jail, Howell assaulted a jail officer on Nov. 20, 2024. He has a lengthy criminal history, including drug-related convictions, family violence battery, and robbery.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse.
The Valdosta Police Department (VPD) investigated the child pornography case, and the United States Marshals Service (USMS) investigated the assault case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Howard prosecuted both cases.
