FORT DIX — Even being in a federal prison on a military base was not enough to keep five people imprisoned on child porn charges from accessing and sharing images while behind bars, authorities say.

If found guilty, the new offense could extend their sentences by many more years.

Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick said the men used illegal phones and micro SD cards to acquire and then sell the images and videos.

Fitzpatrick said the men "have allegedly continued while in prison to trade and profit from the exploitation and sexual abuse of innocent children."

The five people charged are:

Anthony C. Jeffries, 31, of Orange, Virginia, who is serving a 14-year sentence who had pleaded guilty to distribution of child pornography and possession of child porn. Fitzpatrick called him a leader of the jail's child porn network, maintaining a "cloud" account with the pictures and videos. He allegedly gave one of the micro SD cards to an undercover informant with videos of "prepubescent children, including infants and toddlers and depictions of child sexual abuse."

Brian J. McKay, 46, of Brookhaven, Pennsylvania, is serving a 15-year sentence after pleading guilty to one count of distribution and one count of possession of child pornography. Fitzpatrick said McKay allegedly gave micro SD cards to a government informant on two different occasions, officials said. In addition to videos involving prepubescent children, the cards also allegedly included bestiality and "hundreds of images and videos of child sexual abuse."

Jordan T. Allen, 30, of Plain City, Ohio, is serving 8 1/2 years after pleading guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography. He allegedly took payment from a government informant in exchange for a micro SD card from McKay. At the time of the transaction, Allen allegedly told the informant the images came from "The Onion Router."

Christopher Roffler, 29, of Virgina Beach, Virginia, who is serving  eight years after pleading guilty to one count of transportation of child pornography, also allegedly received payment from a government informant in exchange for an SD card from McKay.

Erik M. Smith, 35, of Iron Mountain, Michigan, who was sentenced to more than 19 years after pleading guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography, has been charged with distribution of images of child sexual abuse and selling and possessing with intent to sell images of child abuse on federal property. Prosecutors said he allegedly sold a micro SD card with images of child sexual abuse to a government informant telling them he had enough postage stamps, a form of currency among inmates, to get a cellphone with access to the cloud account.

Because of the men's previous convictions, the charges against them carry a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison, a maximum of 40 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine, if found guilty.

More From WOBM

Contact reporter Adam Hochron at 609-359-5326 or Adam.Hochron@townsquaremedia.com

More From 92.7 WOBM