WICHTIA, Kan — A Hutchinson man has pleaded guilty in federal court to producing child sexual abuse material involving minors.

William “Bill” Bright, 58, pleaded guilty to two counts of production of Sexual Exploitation of a Child - Production of Child Pornography.

Federal prosecutors allege that Bright went to a Kansas truck stop in June 2025 expecting to meet a 15-year-old girl for sexual activity after exchanging private messages with her.

The person Bright believed was a 15-year-old girl was actually a law enforcement officer, and Bright was arrested.

Investigators later obtained a search warrant for Bright’s cellphone. Authorities said they discovered images involving two victims who were younger than 14.

Text messages recovered during the investigation indicated Bright had requested the images from the victims and knew they were minors.

Bright is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 12, 2026. A federal district court judge will determine his sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/8/1787587671691.jpeg" alt="Federal Courthouse, Wichita (Courtesy U.S. District Court, District of Kansas)" />
 <figcaption>Federal Courthouse, Wichita (Courtesy U.S. District Court, District of Kansas)</figcaption>
 </figure>MARC JACOBS Hutch PostWICHTIA, Kan — A Hutchinson man has pleaded guilty in federal court to producing child sexual abuse material involving minors.William “Bill” Bright, 58, pleaded guilty to two counts of production of Sexual Exploitation of a Child - Production of Child Pornography.Federal prosecutors allege that Bright went to a Kansas truck stop in June 2025 expecting to meet a 15-year-old girl for sexual activity after exchanging private messages with her.The person Bright believed was a 15-year-old girl was actually a law enforcement officer, and Bright was arrested.Investigators later obtained a search warrant for Bright’s cellphone. Authorities said they discovered images involving two victims who were younger than 14.Text messages recovered during the investigation indicated Bright had requested the images from the victims and knew they were minors.Bright is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 12, 2026. A federal district court judge will determine his sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Hutchinson man pleaded guilty for producing child sexual abuse material