Moody Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Child Pornography

A man that worked at the Lake Belton High School (LBHS) as an athletic trainer has been found guilty of possession of Child Pornography (Child Sexual Abuse Material*).

Student Reporting and Initial Investigation

Trevor Swift, 57 of Moody, Texas, was found guilty in a federal court of the crime of Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), and Swift was sentenced to 84 months in prison. During his time at Lake Belton High School, some of Swift's students were able to record him looking at images of CSAM, and they provided that to the administrators of LBHS.

Arrest and Law Enforcement Involvement

The offense was reported in May, and Swift was immediately placed on administrative leave. Swift was arrested on May 26th, 2022. The investigation was conducted by both the Temple police and the FBI.

Evidence and Nature of the CSAM

During the investigation, a memory card was found in Swift's office that contained images of CSAM. The images were of both prepubescent children and pubescent children engaging in sexual acts. Some of the children were as young as five years old.

Legal Proceedings and Sentencing Rationale

The prosecutor during the trial was Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Kucera. The trial took place in Waco, and Swift was convicted at a bench trial on July 31st, 2024. Sentencing after a bench trial will usually take longer than a jury trial because the judge will need to prepare written reasons for their decisions which is often complex and time consuming. During a jury trial the jury will just decide what they think the sentence should be given the minimum and maximum sentences allowed.

*According to Justice.Gov, even though the term "Child Pornography" is still used in federal statutes "Child Sexual Assault Material" is the preferred lexicon because it better reflects the abuse depicted and the trauma caused by the content of the images and videos.