Former Groton Navy mechanic sentenced to 210 years in prison for sexually assaulting 7 girls between 4 months and 8 years old. Videos of the assaults were uploaded to the dark web.

A Groton U.S. Navy mechanic was sentenced to 210 years in prison Tuesday after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting seven girls between the ages of 4 months and 8 years old and producing child pornography.

Randall Tilton, 32, was arrested in November 2019 and pled guilty to seven counts of production of child pornography in December 2020 after he admitted to Groton town police that he sexual assaulted several girls and recorded the assaults beginning back in 2014.

Upon seizing a laptop, tablet, cellphone and flash drives, police determined that Tilton sexually assaulted seven girls between the ages of 4 months and 8 years old.

The 32-year-old recorded multiple videos of the sexual assaults, investigators said, including some where the victim was restrained. He then uploaded the assaults on the dark web, they said.

“Tilton systematically and repeatedly preyed upon young children for his own sexual pleasure,” Acting U.S. Attorney Leonard C. Boyle said. “And since some of videos of his sexual abuse of one child will likely exist forever on the internet, he has ensured that she will continue to be victimized, every time those images are viewed by others, for the rest of her life.”

Not only did his devices have videos of the sexual assaults he participated in, they also included thousands of images and videos of sexual abuse to other minors including children in bondage and sexual assaults on infants, a news release from the state attorney added.

Tilton sexually assaulted children in Connecticut, New Hampshire and California, investigators said.

“I must emphasize that this case is among the most disturbing and heinous series of acts that any law enforcement officer will ever encounter in their careers,” Groton Town Police Chief Louis J. Fusaro, Jr. said. “It will stay with all of them and the victims for the rest of their lives. ... We hope that the conviction of this predator will help the many victims impacted by his actions to begin the healing process.”

The sentencing Tuesday “ensures that Mr. Tilton will not be able to inflict physical and emotional pain on our society’s most vulnerable population,” David Sundberg, special agent in charge of the New Haven Division of the FBI, added.

“The horrific nature of these crimes serves as a constant reminder of why we as law enforcement and all residents of this country must do everything we can to protect our children at all times,” he said.

To report cases of child exploitation, visit www.cybertipline.com.

Jessika Harkay can be reached at jharkay@courant.com.

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