Dunedin Man Convicted After Downloading Images Of Toddlers Raped

DUNEDIN, FL — A Dunedin man has been sentenced to nine years and two months in federal prison for receiving and possessing child pornography.

U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez-Covington announced the sentence for Kelly Stephen Ratcliffe, 53, on Monday, Dec. 23. Ratcliffe pleaded guilty on Sept. 19.

In addition, Ratcliffe has been ordered to pay $49,000 in restitution to the victims, and must forfeit the electronic devices that he used to commit the offenses.

According to court documents, the FBI searched Ratcliffe’s home in November 2018. That's when Ratcliffe admitted to using his iPhone and iPad to access an Internet application used to share child sex abuse material, communicate with others about the sexual abuse of children and to receive, trade and save child pornography.

A forensic review of Ratcliffe’s electronic devices revealed that he had received numerous images and videos of child pornography shared by other people online and he possessed about 230 videos and more than 800 images of child sex abuse material depicting the sadomasochistic conduct, bondage and penile penetration of infants and toddlers.

The forensic analysis also revealed that Ratcliffe had specifically sought out images and videos of toddlers being raped.

According to the FBI, Ratcliffe told others that he liked child rape and liked them “crying” and “tied.”