Boaz Man Sentenced to 110 Years After Pleading Guilty to Over 200 Child Pornography Charges
Blount County- A Boaz man has been sentenced to 110 years in prison after pleading guilty to more than 200 child pornography charges in Blount County. The charges were uncovered following a tip from a local storage facility where disturbing materials were found.
According to the Blount County District Attorney’s Office, Dennis Ray Spann, 55, of Boaz, was sentenced to 10 years on each of 225 counts of possession of child pornography and 20 years on each of five counts of producing child pornography. The sentences are to be served concurrently, totaling 110 years.
The case came to light when Spann failed to make payments on a storage unit he was renting in Blount County. As the storage facility’s owners began clearing the unit, they discovered what appeared to be explicit images of young female children and a child-sized sex doll with childlike features. The owners immediately contacted the Oneonta Police Department, sparking a multi-agency investigation.
The subsequent investigation involved the Oneonta Police, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), and the FBI’s Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force. Authorities determined that Spann was in possession of 225 images and/or videos of child pornography, and had produced five such materials himself.
According to court records, Spann admitted to both possessing and producing the illegal materials. This is not Spann’s first conviction related to child exploitation. In 2022, he pleaded guilty in Marshall County to three counts of first-degree sex abuse and was sentenced to 10 years in prison, with only two years to serve. Following his arrest on the new charges in Blount County, his probation was revoked.
Blount County District Attorney Pamela Casey praised the storage unit owners for their quick action.
“It takes everyone, including our citizens, to fight back against child abuse,” Casey said. “The owner of these units no doubt saved other children from becoming victims of Dennis Spann.”
Casey emphasized the serious nature of these crimes and the ongoing trauma experienced by victims.
“Child pornography is not and never will be a victimless crime,” she said. “Every one of those images represents a child that was horrifically victimized and is victimized every time the images are shared.”
She urged the public to remain vigilant: “Never forget—if you see something, say something. Every day I fight alongside law enforcement to protect our children and to make Alabama safe.”
The case stands as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by repeat offenders and the importance of community involvement in identifying and reporting potential abuse.
