SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The United States Attorney’s Office Northern District of Indiana announced 46-year-old Neil Lachmund, of Michigan City, was sentenced after pleading guilty to Sexual Exploitation of Children, Production of Child Pornography, and Production and Transportation of Obscene Material for Sale or Distribution.

Lachmund was sentenced to 54 years in prison followed by life on supervised release. 

A restitution hearing is set to happen at a later date to determine the amount owed to the victims of the offenses.

Court documents in the case show Lachmund produced images and videos of child sexual abuse material. 

Authorities say his crimes were committed over a 10-year period, during part of which he was employed as a law-enforcement officer. 

Lachmund then distributed those images and videos to others over the internet. 

Forensic analysis of his electronic devices found he possessed tens of thousands of additional images and videos.