Child porn plea deal reached for Cortland man

SYCAMORE – A Cortland man has registered as a sexual predator after a plea agreement was reached last week in which he avoided prison time, records show.

Thomas A. Holbrook, 44, of the 100 block of West Benson Avenue, pleaded guilty Aug. 27 to possessing child pornography in exchange for prosecutors dropping more serious charges of producing child pornography against him. He was sentenced to four years’ probation; he faced between six and 30 years in prison if convicted of producing child pornography.

Holbrook was accused of persuading a girl who appeared in chat videos to expose herself to him in August 2013, court records show. In a separate case alleging blackmail, he also was sentenced to a year of probation for making false information and unlawful acts concerning computers in Kansas.

Holbrook is required to register as a sex offender for life, court records show.