A 41-year-old man has been sentenced to 40 years in prison followed by lifetime probation after being convicted of multiple counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and other offenses.

James Ibach, who will be required to register as a sex offender after release, was sentenced last month in Pinal County Superior Court.

On June 1, 2023, the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office received a cyber tip that led to a search of Ibach’s home where they found electronic devices with hundreds of videos of children engaging in sexual acts. The children’s ages ranged from less than 2 years to 14 years old, according to a release from the Pinal County Attorney’s Office.

Ibach fled to Colorado after finding out about the search of his home, and the PCAO requested an arrest warrant, the release stated.

In November 2023, he was arrested in Mesa for an unrelated crime.

“While in the Mesa City Jail, the defendant called his mother and admitted that he was guilty of the exploitation charges. He posted bond and was released where he again began to download child sexual abuse material,” the release stated.

PCSO again executed a search warrant on his home and found additional devices with sexual acts involving young children. He was arrested and held without bond, authorities said.

“Those who exploit children by producing, distributing or possessing child sexual abuse material will be held accountable. These crimes are not victimless – every image, every video represents an innocent child, whose innocence was stolen,” Pinal County Attorney Brad Miller said.

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