SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) – A Chatham County man has been indicted on multiple federal charges, including child sexual exploitation charges.

According to Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, Sheldon Jason Burch, 49, of Savannah, is being held in the Chatham County Detention Center after being arrested on a criminal complaint. He has now been indicted on three counts of Production of Child Pornography, and one count each of Receipt of Child Pornography and Possession of Child Pornography.

This conviction of production charges can carry a minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, and up to 30 years. Receipt carries a minimum sentence of five years, up to 20 years. Conviction for possession is up to two decades in prison.

There is no parole in the federal system, and conviction on any of the charges could include substantial financial penalties and restitution, a requirement to register as a sex offender and a period of supervised release following any prison term.

According to court documents, from about June 2006 through 2016, Burch produced sexually explicit images of three minor victims, and up until June 2023, received and possessed additional images of child sexual exploitation.

Investigators believe that many of the explicit images of the child victims in this case were taken at Burch’s residence over several years.

Investigators are also seeking information on other unidentified potential victims found on images in electronic devices seized from Burch’s residence, located on Cowan Avenue in Savannah, and are asking anyone who might have had contact with him to call the FBI Savannah Resident Agency at 877-644-0277.

This case is being investigated by the FBI and the Chatham County Police Department and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney and Project Safe Childhood Coordinator Jason W. Blanchard.

Anyone who may have information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 800-843-5678, or report.cybertip.org.