John Robert Burchett, 31, a former resident of Panama City, Florida, has been sentenced to two and a half years in federal prison for producing and distributing obscene material. The sentencing was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin stated: “This successful federal prosecution is the result of close collaboration with our state law enforcement partners, and ensures this defendant will be held fully accountable for his criminal exploitation of vulnerable victims. I appreciate the outstanding work of the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, the 14th Circuit State Attorney’s Office, and our federal law enforcement partners in helping to bring this offender to justice.”
According to court records, in February 2024, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office learned that Burchett had used his cell phone to secretly record women while they changed clothes in a private dressing room at a gym in Panama City. Between September 2023 and January 2024, he shared thirteen videos on a public website where they were viewed thousands of times.
Burchett was initially arrested by local authorities and faced state charges before federal officials became involved. After working together with the State Attorney’s Office for the 14th Judicial Circuit and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), federal prosecutors secured an indictment.
Sheriff Tommy Ford of Bay County said: “This was a deliberate and predatory invasion of the victims’ privacy, and it won’t be tolerated in Bay County. Investigators worked tirelessly to uncover the full scope of the defendant’s actions, and I’m grateful for the outstanding teamwork with our state and federal partners in holding the defendant accountable.”
State Attorney Larry Basford commented: “The defendant violated the privacy of these innocent female victims and has been held accountable. By working with the U.S. Attorney, we were able to get a longer sentence for this defendant than was possible in state court for these crimes. I thank the Bay County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their role in pursuing justice for these victims.”
Following his prison term, Burchett will serve two years under supervised release; if he violates any conditions during supervision, he may face additional incarceration time. He has also been ordered to pay restitution.
The investigation was led by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office with support from HSI. Assistant United States Attorneys Jordane New and Meredith L. Steer prosecuted the case.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as principal litigators under direction from the Attorney General. More information about this office can be found at http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
