Previously convicted sex offender sentenced to 35 years in prison

NORFOLK, Va. - A Portsmouth man was sentenced today to 35 years in prison for production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), coercion and enticement of a minor, receipt of CSAM, and possession of CSAM.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Brian James Backues, 46, sent sexually explicit chats to entice an 11-year-old girl to produce a video of sexually explicit conduct and to commit sexual acts between February and March of 2025. Backues also sent sexually explicit videos of himself to the victim.

Backues was previously convicted of child sex crimes in the City of Norfolk in 2020.

Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Ian Kaufmann, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. Heck and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nikolas Nelson prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District CourtLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACERLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-136.