An Arvin man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison in relation to an "online sextortion" case involving children, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Monday.

Brian Caputo, 27, was sentenced on Monday to 15 years in prison but with supervised release.

Caputo had pleaded guilty in May to receipt and distribution of child pornography, officials said. He admitted to receiving and distributing at least one picture of a child engaged in sex between 2008 and 2014.

"This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse," the DOJ said in a press release.