Ohio man sentenced to more than 30 years for scheme to get explicit images of teen

The front windows of the Walter H. Rice Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in downtown Dayton. THOMAS GNAU / STAFF

Credit: Thomas Gnau

Credit: Thomas Gnau

The front windows of the Walter H. Rice Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in downtown Dayton. THOMAS GNAU / STAFF

An Ohio man who worked with his girlfriend to reportedly coerce a 13-year-old girl into sending nude images of herself was sentenced to more than 30 years in prison.

John Brickhouse was sentenced to 405 months — or 33 years and nine months — and ordered to spend 20 years on supervised release after he’s released from prison, according to U.S. Southern District of Ohio court records.

On Sept. 17, Brickhouse pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiracy to produce child pornography and production of child pornography and two counts of coercion and enticement.

John Brickhouse, left, and Nina Darling

Credit: Montgomery County Jail

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Credit: Montgomery County Jail

His girlfriend, Nina Darling, was previously sentenced to eight years in prison and seven years of supervised release for a distribution of child pornography conviction.

The Junction City couple reportedly told a 13-year-old girl Brickhouse’s mother was terminally ill and needed the girl to take explicit images of herself to help pay for his mother’s medical treatment.

Brickhouse started communicating with the teen on Snapchat, a social media app, while living at a halfway house in Warren County in 2022, according to federal court records.

He continued to communicate with her after he was arrested for violating his parole and was in custody at an Ohio Department of Rehabilitation & Corrections facility.

Brickhouse and Darling allegedly told the teen his mother had two weeks left to live and that a third party agreed to pay for a life-saving treatment.

The third party — Michael Jones — was a fake persona created by the couple, according to the U.S. Attorney Southern District of Ohio’s office.

Darling reportedly posed as Jones to convince the girl Brickhouse’s mother could only be saved if the teen made and sent them child pornography.

Darling was also accused of posing as Brickhouse’s mother and aunt.

After the girl sent the explicit images to Brickhouse and Darling, they shared it with others, including registered sex offenders, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

In a separate scheme, Brickhouse reportedly tricked a 10-year-old girl into making child porn.

Brickhouse is a registered sex offender who was previously convicted of sexually assaulting children, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

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