Minnesota (trfnews.i234.me) – A 47-year-old convicted sex offender has been sentenced to 35 years in federal prison for producing child pornography involving a child under the age of 13, federal authorities announced Wednesday.
Scott Wayne Laney received a 420-month sentence from U.S. District Judge Donavan Frank, who described the case as one of the worst child exploitation crimes he has encountered. Laney will also serve lifetime supervised release following his prison term.
According to federal prosecutors, Laney abused the victim between the summer of 2023 and January 2024, recording the abuse in images that were distributed online. At the time of the abuse, the victim was under 13 years old.
Laney’s criminal history includes a prior conviction for sexually assaulting an 11-month-old infant in Mille Lacs County in 1999. He was a registered predatory offender in Minnesota when the new crimes occurred.
In court, prosecutors emphasized the serious nature of Laney’s offenses and his risk of re-offending, citing a need for strong penalties as technology continues to enable exploitation.
“Laney is a predator in the purest and most dangerous sense,” Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph Thompson said. “The 35-year sentence he received is both a measure of justice and a permanent warning to others. Minnesota’s children are not expendable. They are not targets.”
BCA Superintendent Drew Evans and FBI Minneapolis Special Agent in Charge Alvin Winston both praised the collaborative investigation and stressed the importance of protecting children from repeat offenders.
The case was investigated by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the FBI, and the Meeker County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Meeker County Attorney’s Office.